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Minov, Lazarov and Gjorgjiev: “After a great season, we are staying the course”

HC Alkaloid’s players, staff, and management marked the completion of this year’s season. It was the third in the club’s history, and it came with many new challenges which they faced and overcame, such as their debut in the EHF European League, major derby matches in the Super League Playoff, their historic Macedonian Cup appearance and first cup, and the championship cups in the pioneer, cadet, and youth competitions. Additionally, the season was highlighted by our players’ exceptional play and their significant impact on both the senior and youth national teams.

A press conference and cocktail reception were held to mark the conclusion of the season, attended by our players. Club president Goran Minov, coach Kiril Lazarov, and captain Igor Gjorjiev addressed the media.

Club president Goran Minov, provided a brief overview of the season, focusing on the results achieved.

“We have reached the conclusion of a season that was, in many respects, very significant for us as we faced numerous novel challenges. We navigated new experiences, such as our debut in Europe, which not only tested our athletic and competitive abilities, but also demanded a fresh organizational approach. Our senior team excelled in the EHF European League, competing against esteemed opponents and securing our first points. We successfully competed in three European matches, effectively navigating the organizational challenges that came with them, which was an important test for us. Domestically, we secured a spot in Europe, and winning the Macedonian Cup was particularly gratifying. We are especially proud of the youth categories’ achievements, as we clinched first place in the pioneer, cadet, and youth categories. Through painstaking yet strategically effective efforts, we created a cohesive system that worked for everyone. We were successful because we were able to instill a winning mindset among the players. Our goal is to nurture future Macedonian national team players who will bring pride in Macedonia’s No 1 sport. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Alkaloid AD Skopje and Zhivko Mukaetov, our main sponsor, for providing us with excellent working conditions. I also wish to express my thanks to the staff led by Kiril Lazarov as well as the players who put their best efforts to make this season the best and our most successful yet. I would also like to thank our colleagues, the media, and the fans who were a great support,” said Goran Minov.

Coach Kiril Lazarov, addressed the difficulties the team faced this season and outlined plans for the upcoming season, aiming to advance in both the domestic and European championships.

“The club was established three years ago, but despite facing numerous obstacles, we decided to take the more challenging route. I am confident that this is the right one. We have chosen the Macedonian path, striving diligently for the club, our nation, Macedonian sports, and handball. Looking ahead, I hope we can continue along this trajectory, though I anticipate challenges, especially with the Macedonian league expanding each year. We had a great start to the season, securing 14 victories out of 14 matches. Then, we went on to win the Cup title by triumphing over the two toughest competitors within a span of less than 72 hours. It was a big accomplishment and a great source of satisfaction for us, demonstrating that we should stay on that course and have faith, even though we are aware that it will become even more challenging. We finished third in the playoffs and made our debut in Europe. I believe the EHF European Cup is the right competition for us, and I hope we will be more competitive there, advancing through more rounds. However, I am particularly happy with our performance in the youth divisions. Looking ahead, I urge the club’s management to increase investments in these categories, as they represent the future of Macedonian handball. I also appeal to other clubs to join us in investing in young players rather than seeing us as merely rivals. This collaborative endeavor is essential to preserving handball as the premier sport in Macedonia.” said Kiril Lazarov.

Captain Igor Gjorgjiev, expressed pride in having professional teammates by his side and extended congratulations to everyone for the season’s successful conclusion.

“We are concluding a successful season for HC Alkaloid. This year, our team achieved a significant milestone by delivering the club’s first trophy, the Macedonian Cup, a feat of which we are quite proud. We also competed in the EHF European League, playing six excellent games which were a learning experience for our young squad. We will compete in Europe again next season, and as captain, I can say we are happy with our performance. Our main goal is to excel in European handball and bring pride to Macedonia. We are grateful for Alkaloid’s support and the dedication of our teammates, who have shown professionalism and hard work throughout. Lastly, I would like to express my gratitude to our fans whose tremendous support throughout the season fueled our determination to strive for greater success”, said Igor Gjorgjiev.

Following their remarks, HC Alkaloid presented gifts to the attendees and said goodbye to two of its players. Left wing Dario Kofiloski and goalkeeper Viktor Vasilevski will be departing from our team. The club expressed gratitude for their contributions, loyalty, and dedication, and wished them success in their future endeavors.

HC Alkaloid is set to commence preparations for the upcoming season on July 25.

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We have concluded another successful season!

Another successful season is behind us. This was our third consecutive season and the most successful in terms of outcomes. This season, we showcased our abilities across all fronts, venturing beyond our borders for the first time and taking a crucial stride in our strategic commitment to steady growth and advancement, eschewing shortcuts in pursuit of success.

This past season, we clinched championship titles across all age categories and made our debut in a European competition, notably participating in the formidable EHF European League. We celebrated our first European point and our first victory in a European competition.

We completed the first part of the season with a perfect record of 14 wins, securing first place heading into the Playoffs. During this period, we also competed in the EHF European League, earning our first points in matches against the renowned BM Logroño La Rioja, a Spanish team with a long-standing tradition.

In the Playoff Championship of Macedonia, we won the third place in the final standings. This position qualifies us to compete in Europe again next season, this time in the EHF Cup.

The greatest satisfaction and reward for the immense effort invested by everyone in the club, as well as the steadfast commitment to competing with domestic players came at the season’s end.

First, our players’ impressive performances in the national team demonstrated significant progress and ability to shoulder a substantial burden for the national team, securing a spot in another World Championship.

Subsequently, our quality was further validated at the club level in the Macedonian Cup. With victories over HC Vardar 1961 in the semi-finals and HC Eurofarm Pelister in the final, we claimed our first senior competition cup.

We also found immense satisfaction in our investment and efforts with the youth categories of players. After just three seasons, we achieved total dominance in the youth divisions.

HC Alkaloid’s pioneers and cadets both claimed the title of Macedonian champions, and HC Multi Essence’s youth team became the new national champions of Macedonia.

We successfully instilled professional work habits and a winner’s champion mindset in numerous young players, including them into our evolving system. We anticipate their journeys will be marked by success both at the club level and in representing Macedonia on the big stage, beginning with this summer’s performances at EHF Euro in the cadet and junior competitions.

We are wrapping up a successful season and have already begun organizing and preparing for next year, anticipating a series of new challenges. We will be ready for them all, continuing on our set path and growing year by year.

We extend special thanks to our increasingly numerous fans who fill the arena at every match and constantly support us. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you again at our hall in Avtokomanda.

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HC ALKALOID ENDS SEASON IN THIRD PLACE

E. PELISTER – ALKALOID 32-28 (18-13)
Venue: Boro Churlevski in Bitola. Referees: Dimitar Mitrevski and Blagojche Todorovski. Controller: Marjan Nachevski
E. Pelister: Lesjak 1, Ghedbane 1, Manaskov 6, Cehte 4, Kuzmanoski 1, Tajnik 3, Borzas 1, Tankoski, Radivojevic 6, Kuzmanovski 5, Petrovic, Petar Atanasijevikj, Gjorgovski, Vasiljev 2, Peshevski 2, Pavle Atanasijevikj

Seven-meter throws: 5/ 6 Suspensions: 8 min.
ALKALOID: Trajkoski, Galevski, Djonov 2, Markoski, Mladenovikj, Serafimov, Karasmanakis, Stojkovic 2, M. Mitev 6, Gjorgiev 1, Velkovski 3, Simonoski 4, Bingo 2, D. Mitev 6, Savrevski, Dimovski 2
Seven-meter throws: 3/4 Suspensions: 8 min.

HC Alkaloid finished its second Super League season in third-place and secured a victory in the Macedonian Cup. Tonight, in Bitola, our team played its final match of the season as the guest of E. Pelister, a game that secured first place for the opponent. In front of a packed arena, the opening minutes were evenly matched, with the score tied at 9-9. Our team, however, struggled against the home team’s aggressive defense, and playing with seven attackers backfired, allowing the opponent to score several easy goals.

The home team went on a 4-0 run, taking a 13-9 lead and by capitalizing on this momentum they reached their highest score of 17-10. HC Alkaloid, however, demonstrated resilience and began to close the gap. By the end of the first half, the score was 18-13. Our team was more cohesive in the second half, narrowing the difference to just two goals in the last 10 minutes. The game became a goal-for-goal battle and we were unable to make a major comeback. The home team maintained their lead, which remained at two goals until the 59th minute, and ultimately secured a 32-28 victory.

This match held no significance for HC Alkaloid in terms of their positions in the standings, as third place and a spot in European competitions next season were already secured. Based on the team rankings released by the EHF in November 2023, Macedonia is expected to have four teams in the European Cups next season. Unless there are changes due to wild cards or ranking adjustments, HC Alkaloid will be the highest-ranked Macedonian team in the EHF Cup.

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TRIUMPH OVER HC BUTEL SKOPJE IN FINAL HOME MATCH

HC ALKALOID – HC BUTEL SKOPJE 27-21 (11-11)
Venue: Avtokomanda in Skopje. Referees: Metodija Ilievski and Mihajlo Ilievski. Controller: Dushko Kamishevski
HC ALKALOID: Galevski, Trajkoski, Djonov 3, Markoski, Mladenovikj, Serafimov 3, Karasmanakis 1, Stojkovic 2, M. Mitev 3, Gjorgiev, Velkovski 3, Simonoski 1, Bingo 2, D. Mitev 6, Savrevski, Dimovski 3
Seven-meter throws: 2/4 Suspensions: 6 min.
HC BUTEL SKOPJE: Blazhevski, Stojanoski, Subashevski 2, Andrevski 1, Pejkovski, Stojanovski 1, Gjeorgievski 2, Nikolov 2, Janevski, Krstevski 2, Spasovski 1, Kaevski, Jeftic 7, Mihajlovikj 3, Cvetkovski, Davitkovski
Seven-meter throws: 1/2 Suspensions: 10 min.

In their last home match of the season, HC Alkaloid secured a win against HC Butel Skopje, maintaining their strong form after the Cup triumph and ahead of their final away match in Bitola. The first half of the game resembled previous clashes between the two clubs, with a closely contested score, numerous duels, and shifts in momentum. At the end of the first 30 minutes, the score was tied at 11-11.

The second half began in a similar fashion, but after six or seven minutes of play, HC Alkaloid showcased their superior skills. The defense tightened up, Marko Mitev led the attack, and we witnessed effective transitions. With a swift 5-0 run, HC Alkaloid secured victory in the duel.

The visiting team struggled to regain their rhythm after this onslaught, leading to another 4-0 run by our team. This extended the lead significantly, resulting in a convincing 27-21 victory for us.

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WE MADE HISTORY: HC ALKALOID WINS MACEDONIAN CUP!

HC ALKALOID – HC EUROFARM PELISTER 25-23 (10-11)
Venue: Boris Trajkovski in Skopje. Referees: Sasho Krkachev and Gjoko Kolevski. Controllers: Aco Nikolovski and Kamer Metalari
HC ALKALOID: Galevski, Trajkoski, Djonov, Markoski, Mladenovikj, Serafimov 3, Karasmanakis, Stojkovic, M. Mitev 2, Gjorgiev, Velkovski 4, Simonoski 4, Bingo 4, D. Mitev 4, Savrevski, Dimovski 1
Seven-meter throws: 4/6 Suspensions: 4 min
HC EUROFARM PELISTER: Lesjak, Ghedbane, Manaskov 1, Cehte 3, Kuzmanoski, Tajnik 3, Pjehovski, Borzas, Tankoski, Radivojevic 2, Kuzmanovski 6, Petar Atanasijevikj, Gjorgovski, Vasiljev, Peshevski 7, Pavle Atanasijevikj
Seven-meter throws: 4/4 Suspensions: 8 min.

Tonight, the first trophy in senior competition finds its place in HC Alkaloid’s showcase! Our team emerged victorious in the Macedonian Cup. In tonight’s final of the Final Four tournament, HC Alkaloid defeated HC Eurofarm Pelister after a superior performance in the penalty shootouts and won this prestigious trophy. We started the match strong, going on a 5-0 run that put us ahead by four goals (7-3) and in possession. Our more experienced opponents, however fought back, leveling the match by halftime with a score of 10-11.

The opposing team started the second half stronger, securing a three-goal advantage (15-12), but our resilience became evident. With a new 5-0 streak, we seized the lead (17-15) and maintained it until the final whistle. The last ten minutes were filled with tension, culminating in us scoring a goal to take the lead with just 30 seconds remaining (22-21). The opponent, however, managed to level the score, leading to a penalty shootout. Our goalkeeper Ivan Galevski saved shots from Filip Kuzmanovski and Emilijan Gjorgovski, while Bogdan Radivojevic missed his shot. Kristian Simonoski, Marko Mitev, and finally Ivan Djonov scored, sealing a historic victory for our team.

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HC ALKALOID CLAIMS ANOTHER TITLE AS CADET CHAMPIONS OF MACEDONIA

The strategic and high-quality approach to youth development has propelled our young teams to the forefront of the national championships this year. Following the success of HC Alkaloid’s pioneers, who secured the national championship title, and HC Multi Essence, the newly crowned youth champions, our cadet team has now added to the club’s accomplishments.

In today’s Final Four tournament of the cadet competition, HC Alkaloid put on a dominant display, defeating HC Struga convincingly (26-15) in the semi-finals. They then delivered an impressive performance in the final against HC Eurofarm Pelister 2, securing a 31-22 victory and clinching the title of Macedonian cadet champions. HFM president Zhivko Mukaetov, along with general secretary Filip Miloshevski, and youth national team head coach Radoslav Stojanovikj, presented the winning cups and medals to the participating teams.