Home SPORTS Trajkovski's Strike Sends North Macedonia to the Top of World Cup Qualifiers

Trajkovski's Strike Sends North Macedonia to the Top of World Cup Qualifiers

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North Macedonia secures a crucial 1-0 win over Kazakhstan in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, thanks to Aleksandar Trajkovski's decisive goal. Read match highlights and analysis.



North Macedonia topped Group J in the World Cup qualifiers after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Kazakhstan. Aleksandar Trajkovski, the team's second-highest all-time goal scorer, scored the decisive goal in the first half, keeping the Lynxes unbeaten with two wins and two draws in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.


In a competitive match-up for the first time, North Macedonia started strong. Ezgjan Alioski tested Kazakhstan's goalkeeper, Mukhammedzhan Seysen, with a shot that forced a great save. The visitors continued to pressure, and it was only a matter of time before they broke through.


Eljif Elmas' long-range shot was brilliantly saved by Seysen, who followed it up with another stunning stop, this time denying Darko Churlinov's close-range effort. Despite North Macedonia's dominance, Kazakhstan nearly took the lead just after 15 minutes. Galymzhan Kenzhebek's beautiful strike beat Stole Dimitrievski but hit the left post, narrowly avoiding a breakthrough.


As the game neared the 30-minute mark, Kazakhstan stepped up their pace. Stole Dimitrievski, who hadn't faced a shot until then, made a spectacular save to deny Askhat Tagybergen's powerful effort, which had been heading for the top corner.


Macedonia seized the opportunity after 33 minutes, with Aleksandar Trajkovski scoring the decisive goal. Recalled to the starting lineup, Trajkovski celebrated his return in style with a powerful shot that Seysen couldn't save, giving the visitors a halftime lead.


The game intensified again in the 58th minute when Maksim Samorodov's long-range shot hit the woodwork for the second time. Kazakhstan continued to press, with Stole Dimitrievski making another smart save to deny Nuraly Alip's effort from a similar distance.


Enis Bardhi's attempt forced Seysen into his first save of the second half, helping to ease Macedonia's nerves. In the end, Macedonia held on to build on their impressive 1-1 draw against Belgium just days earlier.


With this win, Macedonia temporarily tops Group J with eight points from four matches, pending Wales' match against Belgium. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan remains in third place with three points, still chasing their first major international tournament appearance since independence in 1991. They face a tough road ahead if they hope to make history.


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