Stalemate at the Summit: Kozuv Gevgelija Held Goalless by Determined Detonit Plachkovica in Battle for Macedonian Second League Supremacy

By the time the final whistle echoed through Stadion FK Kožuf on Saturday afternoon, the scoreboard remained unflinching: Kozuv Gevgelija 0, Detonit Plachkovica 0—a result that told a story less of missed opportunities and more of measured resilience at the top end of the Macedonian Second League. For 90 minutes, the league leaders and one of this season’s most ambitious climbers traded blows that left neither side able to break through, yielding a draw that served as both a sign of Kozuv’s consistency and a testament to Plachkovica’s growing steel.

First Half: Frustration in the Final Third

From the opening minutes, Kozuv sought to reassert their authority atop the standings, pinning Plachkovica deep and dictating the pace with short, crisp passing. Yet for all their early possession, chances were painstakingly rare. The hosts' most promising moment of the half came in the 23rd minute, when a sweeping move down the left flank freed their winger, only for the ensuing cross to be hooked over the bar from close range. Plachkovica, undeterred, answered with a swift counter in the 30th minute—testing Kozuv’s keeper with a low drive that skidded harmlessly wide.

What ensued was a tense midfield struggle, both sides retreating into well-drilled shapes anytime momentum threatened to wobble. With cards tucked away by a lenient referee and tempers largely in check, the half settled into a rhythm—neither side looking willing to risk their current trajectory in the standings for a potentially fatal error.

Second Half: Defensive Discipline Takes Center Stage

The tempo lifted after the restart. Kozuv, stung by their recent defeat at Golemo Konjari and the knowledge that their once-commanding lead atop the table had slimmed to a single point, pressed forward in greater numbers. A spell of pressure nearing the hour mark saw Detonit Plachkovica’s goalkeeper forced into a sharp save at the near post, sprawling to deny a thumping header from a corner kick. Yet with every mounting wave, the visitors stood resolute. Their backline, orchestrated with palpable urgency, snuffed out danger before it could fully develop.

Detonit carved out their best opportunity of the match in the 69th minute—a surging run from midfield split the Kozuv lines, only for the resulting effort to be lashed high and wide from just inside the penalty area. That momentary lapse aside, Kozuv's own defense, still one of the league's stingiest, never truly looked breached.

With substitutions made on both sides in search of a late spark, the match’s dying moments grew stretched, but neither bench would find the decisive move. A late Kozuv free kick sailed into a crowd and was bundled away; at the other end, Plachkovica’s counter fizzled in traffic. The final act fittingly ended at a standstill, a microcosm of a contest where control outranked creativity.

Context: Points Shared, Pressure Mounts

For Kozuv Gevgelija, the draw extends their unbeaten league run to four matches, but marks a third consecutive outing without a victory—a period during which their early-season attacking verve has given way to caution and calculation. With 10 points from 4 matches (3 wins, 1 draw), they retain first place, but the gap to challengers—already razor-thin—remains perilous.

Detonit Plachkovica, meanwhile, leave Gevgelija with a hard-won point that cements their mid-table momentum. Now up to 7th place with 6 points from 4 matches (2 wins, 2 draws, 0 losses), their recent record—three wins and two draws in their last five in all competitions—speaks to a side shedding the inconsistency that dogged them early in the campaign. This result, on the road against the league leaders, is perhaps their most assured performance to date.

No Goals, But No Regrets

The goalless draw is the first between these sides in league play for over two years, and while those seeking fireworks may have departed unsatisfied, both managers will find reasons for optimism. For Kozuv, the league’s meanest defense remains intact, and their closest rivals have failed to eat into their lead. For Detonit, the shutout away from home signals a team capable of grinding out results in hostile territory—a prerequisite for any promotion hopeful.

What’s Next: Race to Stay Ahead

With the pack tightening, every fixture now grows in significance. Kozuv’s margin for error has shrunk: another slip might see the chasing group surge past and threaten their grip on the summit. For Detonit Plachkovica, the task is clear—continue to transform draws like these into victories, and they may yet find themselves in the mix when spring arrives. The pressure, as ever, only ratchets higher.

On a day when the scoreboard refused to budge, both Kozuv Gevgelija and Detonit Plachkovica left the pitch with their ambitions very much intact—and with the Macedonian Second League’s race for the top as open and compelling as ever.