Vardar hosting Motor in a Group A derby

Timur Dibirov

Five-time SEHA - Gazprom League winners Vardar and this season's rookies Motor Zaporozhye will on Wednesday play what might prove to be a crucial match in determining who will finish the regular part of the season on top of the standings in Group A. Match is scheduled for 20.15 CET. Six games into the season both teams have 15 points. With four rounds left to play until the end of the season, it remains to see whether Motor have what it takes to stun Vardar in Jane Sandaski after doing so in Zaporozhye in the first part of the season. In VELUX EHF Champions League however, Red&Black managed to defeat Ukrainians in Zaporozhye. Prior to the big derby, both teams are dealing with injury problems. Last training session will help coach Koksharov decide whether he can count on either Gorbok, Atman, Kristopans, Gorpishin or Dissinger who have all been training separately from the team last week. Situation is far from ideal in Zaporozhye as well where the club decided to part ways with coach Mykola Stepanets after the home defeat against Montpellier in Champions League. Sergey Serenko will lead the team in Skopje but won't be able to count on Kireev, Malasinskas, Pukhovski, Jaanima, Soroka, Babichev and Kus. 

Eduard Koksharov, Vardar coach:
As far as we know, Motor will not come to Skopje with their strongest team. Anyway, we have our own plans for the match and we'll try to somehow put together a good team while resting some of the players. This does not mean that we do not want to win, on the contrary, for us these three points are very important and we want them!

Stojanche Stoilov, Vardar player:
It's going to be a tough one. Most players are still tired from Saturday's match, especially because a smaller group of players has to carry the burden throughout the entire season. That's why I think we'll probably rest some players but despite of that we want to win this one.

Sergey Serenko, Motor Zaporozhye coach:
We'll come to Skopje with a rejuvenated roster but despite of that we'll look to win the match. We must reduce the number of turnovers and raise focus levels. I want to see everyone give their best in this one, that's what I care about the most.

Eduard Kravchenko, Motor Zaporozhye player:
We've already played with Vardar twice this season. We managed to defeat them in SEHA League but fell short in EHF Champions League. Tomorrow we'll try to take revenge despite of the fact we're coming with a rejuvenated roster and take control of the standings in Group A.