Macedonian handball champion Vardar is leading Hungarian Veszprem 16:11 at the halftime of the European Champions League final in Cologne.

Despite its financial problems and the political pressures exerted against its owner, Vardar’s charmed season took it to the finals, after an unlikely come from behind win against Barcelona yesterday.

Rogerio Ferreira Moraes leads the list of Vardar’s best shots with 4 goals, followed by Stas Skube with 3 goals. Milosavljlev was excellent at goal. The rest of the team is functioning excellent, evenly contributing to goals – Dibirov, Kristopans and the hero of the team Stojance Stoilov all scored two goals each.

Macedonia is in a stand-still during the game. The match is inexplicably not carried by any of the Macedonian TV stations, but everybody is glued to the computer live-stream, visiting friends who have spruced for the sports cable package, or simply watching the game in a bar. Whatever the outcome, a hero’s welcome is being organized after the finals.