Pobeda overhaul off-form Vardar

FK Vardar's bid for a hat-trick of Macedonian First League titles stalled in November as FK Pobeda took over the lead going into the winter break.

Poor Vardar run
Vardar's start to the season - they eliminated PFC CSKA Moskva from the UEFA Champions League and almost pipped AC Sparta Praha to a group-stage place - suggested that a third straight championship was in their grasp. But November proved a miserable month as, having opened with a victory at FK Bregalnica Delcevo, they were defeated by FK Sileks, FK Belasica GC and lowly FK Tikves, and were held by FK Sloga Jugomagnat and FK Madzari Solidarnost 92. They also found themselves eliminated from the Macedonian Cup quarter-finals, losing 3-2 on aggregate to Pobeda.

Pobeda in form
That cup success underlined the recent impressive form of a Pobeda who are hopeful of landing their first title. Despite having had to play their last two home league games on neutral ground, they scored a 2-1 win against Napredok and overcame bottom team Bregalnica Delcevo 8-1 to open a one-point lead over Sloga. Only FK Cementarnica 55 were able to defeat the Prilep team this month.

Semi-finals decided
Sloga themselves were only beaten once in November, and joined Pobeda in the cup semi-finals after a 4-3 aggregate win against Madzari. The last four also contains FK Rabotnicki, who eliminated Tikves 3-1 on aggregate, and FK Napredok, who reached their first semi-final with a 4-2 aggregate success against second division FK Lozar. The draw will be made on 8 December.

Sileks run
Sileks, without a championship in five years, are only a further point behind Sloga - and two ahead of fourth-placed Vardar - after picking up four wins in a row, including victory against the champions, a sequence only ended in the last match before the winter break when they lost 2-1 to FK Baskimi.

Titanic struggle
With Rabotnicki and Cementarnica also usefully placed, the top six are only separated by seven points, promising an exciting title race when the season resumes. However, bottom club Bregalnica will be wondering how to make up the 15-point gap separating them from safety. Tikves, the other side in the relegation zone, lie five points behind tenth-placed Baskimi in the 12-team league.