Slovenia stay unbeaten in Nations League after narrow win against North Macedonia

[p]Having registered just a single home victory in 90 minutes since September 2024 (D5, L2), Slovenia looked determined to start on the front foot in Ljubljana. In fact, the hosts threatened a breakthrough inside two minutes, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vipotnik-zan/xYt5sXYC/"]Zan Vipotnik[/a] directed a glorious close-range chance against the crossbar. That set the tone for a one-sided opening half-hour, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/karnicnik-zan/SxvPlt4T/"]Zan Karnicnik[/a] and Vipotnik both going close in quick succession for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cesar-bostjan/l8DkIYRm/"]Bostjan Cesar[/a]’s men.[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="27661d7c-b054-4d80-b71b-cf9560440da2" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="37748407-087c-4c04-ae5c-11bc50079eee" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]Grateful to still be on level terms, the visitors gradually gained a foothold in the contest, as they searched for their first goal in six matches.[/p][p]However, it was Slovenia who remained the more dangerous of the two sides in the final third, with Danijel Sturm seeing a promising effort in the box superbly blocked by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/meljichi-anes/pEsYOGAl/"]Anes Meljichi[/a].[/p][p]The half-time break did little to stem the hosts’ momentum, as Sturm powered another strike narrowly wide of the target.[/p][p][b]Undeterred by their profligacy, Cesar’s side finally broke the deadlock in the 55th minute when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/begic-tjas/bJBRauoj/"]Tjas Begic[/a]’s clever pass into the box was ruthlessly fired into the roof of the net by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lovric-sandi/2oBl3y29/"]Lovric[/a] for his sixth international goal.[/b][/p][p]Slovenia thought they’d doubled their advantage with time ticking into the final 20 minutes, only for Vipotnik’s smart finish to be ruled out for offside.[/p][p][b]Nevertheless, that proved nothing more than a momentary reprieve for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/north-macedonia/GrTQ3oHB/"]North Macedonia[/a], as the hosts netted their second of the evening through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/matko-aljosa/4Agv4nZ4/"]Matko[/a], who latched onto a through ball from Sturm and finished coolly beyond [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dimitrievski-stole/2axfsTHA/"]Stole Dimitrievski[/a]. [/b][/p][p]Armed with a two-goal cushion, Slovenia eased through the closing stages to wrap up a comfortable three points, extending the visitors’ dismal winless run to 10 matches (D5, L5).[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sturm-danijel/WS55wx0h/"]Danijel Sturm[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/slovenia/tfMf3PoO/"]Slovenia[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/north-macedonia-GrTQ3oHB/slovenia-tfMf3PoO/?mid=hOq1JfnT"]See all the stats from the match here[/a][/b][/p]