Parties celebrating the historic entry in a European Championship are breaking out across the country. In Strumica, Sasko Pandev, the brother of team captain Goran Pandev who scored the crucial goal against Georgia, had the famous Angusevi brass band to celebrate.

Sasko got Goran on the phone to share with him the mood in his home-town as the crowd is singing “Pearl of the Balkans” – an iconic song dedicated to Macedonia by singer Goce Nikolovski.

https://www.facebook.com/100022212050514/videos/844963099587417/?t=0

People gathered in the main Strumica square to celebrate their local hero and his major achievement. The local football fan group – the Ajduci – used an underpass and the echo it generates to shout “Macedonia” – as virtually everybody forgot about the imposed name.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=942237176302317&ref=watch_permalink

And the Chkembari football fans from Bitola shared videos from the torch lit gathering they had on the main Shirok Sokak street.

https://www.facebook.com/1985ckembari/videos/357447118876761

The Football Federation of Macedonia called on the fans to celebrate the big win but to do so responsibly, given the dangers of the coronavirus epidemic. Gatherings of more than four people in the open are banned after 22h, but good luck trying to enforce the ban this evening.