Ilija Nestorovski assists twice and is later sent off as Slaven Belupo beat Varaždin 2:1
Nestorovski created the goals in the 66th and 70th minutes for Mitrović and Banovec, but was dismissed in the 79th minute.
On 24 October 2026 Slaven Belupo came from behind to beat Varaždin 2:1 in the Croatian First Football League (HNL), with Ilija Nestorovski heavily involved in both goals before being sent off late in the match.
Turnaround sparked by Nestorovski's playmaking
The home side opened the scoring early, finding the net in the 6th minute. Slaven Belupo levelled and then turned the game around after Ilija Nestorovski provided two decisive assists: one in the 66th minute for Mitrović and another in the 70th minute for Banovec, which ultimately produced the 1:2 scoreline.
However, Nestorovski did not see out the final minutes. In the 79th minute he received a direct red card for a rough challenge just outside the home penalty area and was sent off. Despite playing the last stretch with ten men, Slaven Belupo held on for the victory and collected three important points.
The clash was billed as a mini "Macedonian derby" in the HNL because both sides featured Macedonian players: Mario Mladenovski for Varaždin and Ilija Nestorovski for Slaven Belupo. Nestorovski's influence on the outcome — two assists and a later dismissal — summed up both his creative impact and temperamental edge.
For Slaven Belupo the result is a valuable away win in the league campaign; for Varaždin it is a missed chance after the early lead. Earlier on the same day, RK Ohrid secured a convincing qualification into the third round of the EHF European Cup.
Photo: NK Slaven Belupo (FB)
