On Tuesday, 14 July, Finnish side Kuopion Palloseura will host North Macedonia's Vardar Skopje in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League first qualifying round. The match in Kuopio at the Väre Areena will kick off at 16:00 BST.
It will be extremely difficult for Vardar Skopje to make up a two-goal deficit away from home, so bookmakers are not even offering the handicap they need.
If the first match in Skopje was difficult to predict, that is no longer the case. Kuopion Palloseura are favourites, even if not overwhelming ones. That is understandable: last year's UEFA Champions League play-off qualifying round participants cannot lose to a team who, until recently, could barely make ends meet.
The first match highlighted the superior technical level of the Finnish team's players, who outplayed the hosts both from set pieces and in open play. The first goal came precisely from a corner, with nobody marking the towering Brahima Magassa at the far post. Even away from home, Kuopion Palloseura players had twice as many shots, both overall (10-5) and on target (5-3). There is a chance they will give up the ball and play on the counter-attack, but that approach could also be dangerous from them.
Even if Vardar Skopje have possession, they do not have much to offer. They were unable to get forwards Azer Omeragic and Goran Zakaric into dangerous positions. Their best chance fell to midfielder Boban Nikolov. The absence of Nemanja Bosancic will also be a problem. The Serbian is the link player in midfield, and his red card has come at a very bad time before the return leg. It is hardly surprising, though: in three of his four European matches last season, he was booked.
Confidence after an away win, reliable goalkeeping from Johannes Kreidl and frequent mistakes from the North Macedonians will lead to a second defeat for Vardar Skopje - over the past 10 years in European competition, they have lost 7 of their 11 away matches.
Matthew MacDermid (Scotland)
Matches - 6 (international fixtures, 2024-2026);
Average fouls per match - 24;
Average yellow cards per match (including second yellows) - 5.2;
Matches with red cards - 0 of 6;
Matches with penalties - 2 of 6.
|
Miika Nuutinen
|
coach | ||
| Player | Matches | Goals | |
|
Line-up
|
|||
|
Johannes Kreidl
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Akseli Viljami Puukko
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Bob Nii Armah
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Brahima Magassa
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Clinton Antwi
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Kasim Adams Nuhu
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Petteri Henri Juhana Pennanen
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Tommi Matti Jyry
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Valentín Román Gasc
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Gustav Per Fredrik Engvall
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Jaime José Moreno Ciorciari
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Substitutes
|
|||
|
Hemmo Riihimäki
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Kasperi Silen
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Arttu Mikael Olavi Lötjönen
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Saku Heiskanen
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Taneli Armas Hämäläinen
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Aaro Emil Toivonen
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Arttu Heinonen
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Jerry Voutilainen
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Niilo Juhani Kujasalo
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Saikou Touray
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Joslyn Luyeye-Lutumba
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Piotr Parzyszek
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Saku Jussi Savolainen
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Miodrag Božović
|
coach | ||
| Player | Matches | Goals | |
|
Line-up
|
|||
|
Davor Taleski
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Darko Velkovski
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Filip Najdovski
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Georgije Jankulov
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Mihail Manevski
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Mislav Matić
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Boban Nikolov
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Diego Facundo Castañeda
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Miguel Ângelo Ferreira Pires
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Azer Omeragikj
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Gerson Leal Rodrigues Gouveia
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Substitutes
|
|||
|
Daniel Dikovski
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Filip Cvetkovski
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Nenad Mishkovski
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
David Babunski
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Dimitar Todorovski
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Filip Duranski
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Dimitar Danev
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Ediz Spahiu
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Goran Zakarić
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Ian Lucas Puleio Araya
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Ivo Markovski
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
Vardar
KuPS
Lech
KuPS
KuPS
Lech
Crystal Palace
KuPS
KuPS
FC Lausanne-Sport
Jagiellonia
KuPS
KuPS
Slovan Bratislava
Breidablik
KuPS
KuPS
Drita
KuPS
Midtjylland
Vardar
KuPS
FC Lausanne-Sport
Vardar
Vardar
FC Lausanne-Sport
La Fiorita
Vardar
Vardar
La Fiorita
Vardar
Pyunik
Pyunik
Vardar
Vardar
Rosenborg
Zenit
Vardar
Real Sociedad
Vardar
Champions League 2026/27
Vardar
KuPS
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
PSG
|
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14:5 | 9 |
|
2
|
Aston Villa
|
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12:3 | 9 |
|
3
|
Liverpool
|
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12:7 | 9 |
|
4
|
Real Madrid
|
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10:5 | 9 |
|
5
|
Real Betis
|
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7:4 | 9 |
|
6
|
Stuttgart
|
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7:2 | 7 |
|
7
|
Arsenal
|
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6:2 | 7 |
|
8
|
Barcelona
|
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11:6 | 6 |
|
9
|
Como
|
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10:5 | 6 |
|
10
|
Manchester City
|
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9:5 | 6 |
|
11
|
Brugge
|
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9:6 | 6 |
|
12
|
Sporting CP
|
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7:4 | 6 |
|
13
|
Borussia Dortmund
|
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5:4 | 6 |
|
14
|
Bayern Munich
|
|
3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 10:5 | 5 |
|
15
|
AS Roma
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8:5 | 4 |
|
16
|
Atlético Madrid
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4:3 | 4 |
|
17
|
Shakhtar Donetsk
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4:3 | 4 |
|
18
|
PSV
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2:2 | 4 |
|
19
|
Villarreal
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8:8 | 3 |
|
20
|
Inter Milan
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5:6 | 3 |
|
21
|
Manchester United
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5:6 | 3 |
|
22
|
Napoli
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5:7 | 3 |
|
23
|
Galatasaray
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6:9 | 3 |
|
24
|
LASK Linz
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6:9 | 3 |
|
25
|
FK Sabah
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3:6 | 3 |
|
26
|
Feyenoord
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4:8 | 3 |
|
27
|
Lens
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3:7 | 3 |
|
28
|
Bodo Glimt
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4:9 | 3 |
|
29
|
AEK Athens
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3:8 | 3 |
|
30
|
RB Leipzig
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3:8 | 3 |
|
31
|
Fenerbahce
|
|
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3:9 | 2 |
|
32
|
Slavia Prague
|
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4:7 | 1 |
|
33
|
Viking
|
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5:9 | 1 |
|
34
|
Porto
|
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2:6 | 0 |
|
35
|
Lille
|
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4:10 | 0 |
|
36
|
Slovan Bratislava
|
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1:13 | 0 |
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
PSG
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10:3 | 6 |
|
2
|
Aston Villa
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9:1 | 6 |
|
3
|
Liverpool
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6:4 | 6 |
|
4
|
Real Madrid
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6:2 | 6 |
|
5
|
Real Betis
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4:2 | 6 |
|
6
|
Como
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8:2 | 6 |
|
7
|
Stuttgart
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4:2 | 4 |
|
8
|
Bayern Munich
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7:2 | 4 |
|
9
|
Arsenal
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:0 | 3 |
|
10
|
Barcelona
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5:1 | 3 |
|
11
|
Manchester City
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7:5 | 3 |
|
12
|
Brugge
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5:3 | 3 |
|
13
|
Sporting CP
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5:4 | 3 |
|
14
|
Borussia Dortmund
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
15
|
AS Roma
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7:4 | 3 |
|
16
|
Atlético Madrid
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:0 | 3 |
|
17
|
Shakhtar Donetsk
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:1 | 3 |
|
18
|
Villarreal
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:1 | 3 |
|
19
|
Inter Milan
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4:4 | 3 |
|
20
|
Manchester United
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:0 | 3 |
|
21
|
Napoli
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4:4 | 3 |
|
22
|
FK Sabah
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
23
|
Feyenoord
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
24
|
Bodo Glimt
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
25
|
AEK Athens
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
26
|
RB Leipzig
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
27
|
Fenerbahce
|
|
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3:3 | 2 |
|
28
|
PSV
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
29
|
Viking
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3:3 | 1 |
|
30
|
Galatasaray
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:4 | 0 |
|
31
|
LASK Linz
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3:6 | 0 |
|
32
|
Lens
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:2 | 0 |
|
33
|
Slavia Prague
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
34
|
Porto
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0:3 | 0 |
|
35
|
Lille
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4:7 | 0 |
|
36
|
Slovan Bratislava
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:3 | 0 |
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Arsenal
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3:2 | 4 |
|
2
|
PSG
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:2 | 3 |
|
3
|
Aston Villa
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
4
|
Liverpool
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6:3 | 3 |
|
5
|
Real Madrid
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:3 | 3 |
|
6
|
Real Betis
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
7
|
Stuttgart
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:0 | 3 |
|
8
|
Barcelona
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6:5 | 3 |
|
9
|
Manchester City
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:0 | 3 |
|
10
|
Brugge
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:3 | 3 |
|
11
|
Sporting CP
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:0 | 3 |
|
12
|
Borussia Dortmund
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2:2 | 3 |
|
13
|
PSV
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1:1 | 3 |
|
14
|
Galatasaray
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5:5 | 3 |
|
15
|
LASK Linz
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3:3 | 3 |
|
16
|
Lens
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3:5 | 3 |
|
17
|
Bayern Munich
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3:3 | 1 |
|
18
|
AS Roma
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
19
|
Atlético Madrid
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2:3 | 1 |
|
20
|
Shakhtar Donetsk
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1:2 | 1 |
|
21
|
Slavia Prague
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2:4 | 1 |
|
22
|
Como
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
23
|
Villarreal
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5:7 | 0 |
|
24
|
Inter Milan
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
25
|
Manchester United
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:6 | 0 |
|
26
|
Napoli
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:3 | 0 |
|
27
|
FK Sabah
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:4 | 0 |
|
28
|
Feyenoord
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:6 | 0 |
|
29
|
Bodo Glimt
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3:9 | 0 |
|
30
|
AEK Athens
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2:8 | 0 |
|
31
|
RB Leipzig
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2:8 | 0 |
|
32
|
Fenerbahce
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:6 | 0 |
|
33
|
Viking
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2:6 | 0 |
|
34
|
Porto
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
35
|
Lille
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:3 | 0 |
|
36
|
Slovan Bratislava
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:10 | 0 |
