Vardar lose 2-3 to Riga on club’s 79th birthday
North Macedonia champions bowed out of the first leg at home, losing 2-3 to Riga on the club's 79th anniversary.
Vardar suffered a painful home defeat against Riga, losing 2-3 at the Todor Proeski National Arena in the second qualifying round of the Conference League on 22 July 2026.
Birthday celebration turned sour
The result arrived on the very day the club marked its 79th anniversary, turning what should have been a festive occasion into a disappointing evening for supporters. The "Red-Blacks" were unable to convert home advantage into a favourable scoreline and now face a more difficult task in the return leg.
Even on the club’s anniversary the attendance fell short of expectations, leaving empty seats on a night that combined domestic celebration with a European fixture. That sparse turnout added to the sense of frustration after the final whistle.
Vardar must now regroup and prepare for the away match against Riga, aiming for a result that would keep their European campaign alive. Failure to overturn the deficit in the second leg would leave the club’s attempt to return to the continent’s bigger stages as a brief and disappointing episode.
The team and coaching staff will use the coming days to analyse the home defeat and work on the weaknesses that produced costly moments in this tie.
Photo: press material from the event
