Armenia aiming to keep unlikely dream alive
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
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Armenia host the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia hoping to build on a stunning 4-0 victory in Slovakia and continue their late push for an unlikely top-two finish in Group B.
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Armenia will look to take a step closer to an unlikely top-two finish in UEFA EURO 2012 Group B as they take on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in Yerevan.
• Armenia lie third in the section, a point below the Republic of Ireland, and are certain to finish in at least a play-off place if they beat FYROM and then triumph in Ireland in their final fixture on 11 October. They should be in buoyant mood too after winning 4-0 in Slovakia in their last outing.
• Having both lost their opening Group B games, the sides drew 2-2 in Skopje on 7 September 2010. Yura Movsisyan gave Armenia the lead four minutes from half-time but Mario Gjurovski struck back barely 60 seconds later. It stayed level until the first minute of added time when Edgar Manucharyan seemed to have won the match for the visitors, only for Ilco Naumoski to score from the penalty spot to ensure the spoils were shared.
• Armenia's record in five encounters with FYROM reads W1 D2 L2 (W0 D1 L1 at home).
• The sides met in qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, starting with a 3-0 victory for FYROM in Skopje on 18 August 2004 thanks to goals from Goran Pandev, Artim Sakiri and Veliče Šumulikoski. Armenia's Harutyun Vardanyan was dismissed on 70 minutes.
• Pandev also struck twice in the return as FYROM prevailed 2-1 in Yerevan on 4 June 2005. He opened the scoring from the penalty spot after 29 minutes before doubling the visitors' lead two minutes after the restart. Manucharyan then hitting Armenia's reply.
• The first fixture between the teams produced a 2-2 draw in Yerevan on 10 May 1995 as both sides vied for a finals place at EURO '96. Armenia led 2-0 following strikes from Razmik Grigoryan and Armen Shahgeldyan but were eventually pegged back by Georgi Hristov and Ljupco Markovski.
• Armenia won the return 2-1 in Skopje on 6 September 1995. Toni Micevski put FYROM in front only for Grigoryan and Shahgeldyan to seal victory for the visitors.
• That proved to be Armenia's sole win in qualifying Group 2 as they finished bottom with five points from ten games. FYROM also won once but finished two points higher in fourth.
