Ohrid’s handball team has written both club and Macedonian handball history by qualifying for the final of the EHF European Cup after a dramatic semifinal victory over Slovenia’s Celje. The second-leg match in Ohrid ended 25–24 for the Macedonian side, while Celje had won the first match in Slovenia 27–26. With the aggregate score level after two matches, the finalist was decided by penalties, where Ohrid proved more composed and won the shootout 4–3.
The decisive match was played in front of a packed crowd at the “Biljanini Izvori” hall, where the home support played a major role in pushing Ohrid through one of the most important matches in the club’s history. After a tense regular period and an even more dramatic penalty series, Ohrid eliminated one of the strongest names in regional handball and secured a place in the European final.
Kosuke Yasuhira was Ohrid’s most effective player with nine goals, while Tilen Strmljan added seven. Goalkeeper Kristian Pilipović was one of the heroes of the match, finishing with 12 saves and playing a crucial role both during regular time and in the penalty shootout. Celje’s leading scorers were Perić with seven goals and Anžić with five.
The penalty series brought the final twist of the evening. Yasuhira opened with a goal for Ohrid, after which Pilipović saved Celje’s attempt. Ojleski also scored for Ohrid, while Miličević converted for Celje to make it 2–1. Ćosevski and Perić were then accurate in the third series. Ivanković missed badly for Ohrid, and Rakita equalized for Celje. In the decisive moment, Darko Đukić converted Ohrid’s final penalty, while Domen Makuc missed for Celje, sparking major celebrations among the players and fans.
Coach Boris Rojević said Ohrid had played two incredible matches and that both the team and the entire city were overjoyed. He stressed that his players had repeatedly returned to the match with seven-on-six play and that the crowd carried them in the key moments. Rojević said Ohrid deserved to reach the final, adding that the team gave its heart and soul for the club despite injury problems and a limited rotation.
Ohrid will face Hungary’s Tatabánya in the final. The Hungarian club also features Macedonian national team player Filip Taleski. Rojević warned that Tatabánya is a very strong team with a budget of around four to five million euros, but said Ohrid would again give its maximum and see whether that would be enough.
The final matches are scheduled for May 23/24 and May 30/31. A draw in Vienna will determine which team hosts the first leg. On the way to the final, Ohrid eliminated Baku from Azerbaijan, Sloga Doboj from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dukla Prague from the Czech Republic, Olympiacos from Greece and Celje from Slovenia, recording nine wins and only one defeat in the competition.
