Match Report
The table read 2nd (North Macedonia, 18 pts) against 1st (Germany, 27 pts), 9 points apart. North Macedonia ranked just 13th in the league on five-round form despite their 2nd table position. Scoring rates set the scale: North Macedonia 2.3 scored and 1.1 conceded per game, Germany 3.6 and 0.4, with the league averaging 1.53.
Germany carried a 15-game unbeaten run into this, having scored in 15 consecutive games. The five-game form split read 7/15 points for North Macedonia against 13/15 for Germany.
Toše Proeski Arena in Skopje staged the fixture, a ground that holds 33,011. Half-time and full-time told different stories: it was 0-0 at the break, before 4 more goals closed it at 0-4.