2015–16 Macedonian First Football League

The 2015–16 Macedonian First League was the 24th season of the Macedonian First Football League, the highest football league of Macedonia. It began on 9 August 2015 and ended in 19 May 2016. It was the last season as the format changed from the 2016–17 season which will each team be played the other sides four times on home-away basis, for a total of 36 matches each instead of play-off and play-out after 27th round.[1]

Macedonian First League
Season2015–16
Dates9 August 2015 –
19 May 2016
ChampionsVardar
9th Macedonian title
10th domestic title
RelegatedMetalurg
Mladost
Horizont Turnovo
Champions LeagueVardar
Europa LeagueShkëndija
Rabotnichki
Sileks
Matches played162
Goals scored426 (2.63 per match)
Top goalscorerBesart Ibraimi
(26 goals)
Biggest home winVardar 6–0 Mladost
Biggest away winMladost 0–5 Bregalnica
Highest scoringRenova 5–2 Horizont Turnovo
Longest winning run9 games
Shkendija
Longest unbeaten run15 games
Rabotnichki
Longest winless run11 games
Mladost
Longest losing run10 games
Mladost

The league was contested by 10 teams. Vardar are the defending champions, having won their eight title in 2014–15.

Promotion and relegation
At the start of the 2015–16 season

Promoted from 2014–15 Second League

Relegated to 2015–16 Second League
At the end of the 2015–16 season

Promoted from 2015–16 Second League

Relegated to 2016–17 Second League

1 Mladost Carev Dvor was declined their participation from the Second League due to financial problems.[1]

Participating teams
Location of teams in 2015–16 Macedonian First League
Club City Stadium Capacity
Bregalnica Shtip Gradski stadion Shtip 4,000
Metalurg Skopje Stadion Zhelezarnica 3,000
Mladost Carev Dvor SRC Biljanini Izvori 2,500
Rabotnichki Skopje Philip II Arena 33,460
Renova Djepchishte City Stadium Tetovo 15,000
Shkëndija Tetovo City Stadium Tetovo 15,000
Shkupi Skopje Chair Stadium 6,000
Sileks Kratovo Stadion Sileks 1,800
Horizont Turnovo Turnovo Stadion Kukush 1,500
Vardar Skopje Philip II Arena 33,460

Personnel and kits

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Bregalnica Igor Stojanov Goran Zdravkov Derbystar Quehenberger
Metalurg Alekso Mackov Mile Krstev Macron Makstil
Mladost Zdravko Cvetanoski Aleksandar Ristevski Legea
Rabotnichki Tomislav Franc Bazhe Ilijoski Zeus
Renova Qatip Osmani Fisnik Nuhi Jako Renova
Shkendija Bruno Akrapović Ferhan Hasani Nike Ecolog
Shkupi Visar Ganiu Suat Zendeli Lotto Čair Municipality
Sileks Momchilo Mitevski Nikolcho Georgiev Legea
Horizont Turnovo Jane Nikolovski Sashko Pandev Jako Vitaminka
Vardar Goce Sedloski Boban Grncharov Hummel Zdravje

Regular season

The first 27 Rounds comprise the first phase of the season, also called the Regular season. In the first phase, every team plays against each other team twice on a home-away basis till all the teams have played two matches against each other. The table standings at the end of the Regular season determine the group in which each team is going to play in the Play-offs.

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Vardar 27 20 5 2 59 15 +44 65 Qualification for the championship round
2 Shkëndija 27 19 6 2 62 21 +41 63
3 Sileks 27 11 7 9 32 32 0 40
4 Shkupi 27 9 11 7 28 25 +3 38
5 Rabotnichki 27 8 12 7 32 26 +6 36
6 Bregalnica Shtip 27 9 6 12 38 43 −5 33
7 Horizont Turnovo 27 8 9 10 32 42 −10 33 Qualification for the relegation round
8 Renova 27 8 7 12 33 37 −4 31
9 Metalurg 27 4 4 19 20 48 −28 16
10 Mladost Carev Dvor 27 5 1 21 18 65 −47 16
Source: MacedonianFootball.com, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Head-to-head away goals scored (only if two teams); 7) Head-to-head goals scored; 8) Draw; 9) Play-off. (Note: Criteria 2, 3 and 8 is only used if not deciding teams for championship or relegation round).[2]

Results

Second phase

The second phase are the so-called Play-off Rounds which is divided in two groups: Championship and Relegation. The top 6 ranked teams on the table after the Regular Season qualify for the Championship group, while the bottom 4 advance to the Relegation group.

Championship round

In the Championship round, each team plays against every other one only once, making 5 games in total. Records from the first phase are carried over. Teams play each other once with each team playing five games in this round.[3]

Championship round table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Vardar (C) 32 25 5 2 67 17 +50 80 Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round
2 Shkëndija 32 23 6 3 74 24 +50 75 Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round[lower-alpha 1]
3 Sileks 32 12 8 12 35 40 −5 44
4 Rabotnichki 32 10 13 9 36 30 +6 43
5 Bregalnica Shtip 32 10 8 14 42 49 −7 38
6 Shkupi 32 9 11 12 29 34 −5 38
Source: MacedonianFootball.com, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Head-to-head away goals scored (only if two teams); 7) Head-to-head goals scored; 8) Draw; 9) Play-off. (Note: Criteria 2, 3 and 8 is only used if not deciding Champion or teams for UEFA competitions).[4]
(C) Champion.
Notes:
  1. Shkëndija qualified for the Europa League first qualifying round by winning the 2015–16 Macedonian Football Cup.

Results
Home \ Away BRE RAB SKE SHK SIL VAR
Bregalnica Shtip — 0–0 — 2–0 — —
Rabotnichki — — — — 2–0 0–1
Shkëndija 3–0 3–1 — — 3–0 —
Shkupi — 0–1 1–3 — — —
Sileks 1–1 — — 1–0 — 1–2
Vardar 2–1 — 1–0 2–0 — —
Source: MacedonianFootball.com
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Relegation round

In the Relegation round, each team plays twice against every opponent on a home-away basis. Records from the first phase are carried over. Teams play each other twice with each team playing six games in this round.[3]

Relegation round table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Relegation
7 Renova 33 13 8 12 49 42 +7 47
8 Horizont Turnovo (R) 33 12 10 11 45 43 +2 46 Qualification for the relegation play-offs
9 Metalurg (R) 33 5 4 24 27 66 −39 19 Relegation to the Macedonian Second League
10 Mladost Carev Dvor (R) 33 6 1 26 22 81 −59 19
Source: MacedonianFootball.com, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Head-to-head away goals scored (only if two teams); 7) Head-to-head goals scored; 8) Draw; 9) Play-off. (Note: Criteria 2, 3 and 8 is only used if not deciding teams for relegation).[5]
(R) Relegated.

Results
Home \ Away MET MLA REN TUR
Metalurg — 4–0 2–4 0–4
Mladost Carev Dvor 2–0 — 0–4 0–2
Renova 3–1 4–2 — 1–0
Horizont Turnovo 5–0 2–0 0–0 —
Source: MacedonianFootball.com
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Relegation play-offs

First Leg
Horizont Turnovo1–2Pelister
Pandev  4' Report Markovski  23' (pen.), 29' (pen.)
Attendance: 400
Referee: Josip Barton (Tetovo)

Second Leg
Pelister1–0Horizont Turnovo
Cvetanoski  62' Report
Attendance: 800

Pelister won 3–1 on aggregate.

Season statistics

Top scorers
As of 19 May 2016
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Besart Ibraimi Shkëndija 26
2 Sashko Pandev Horizont Turnovo 16
3 Blazhe Ilijoski Rabotnichki 13
4 Ferhan Hasani Shkëndija 12
5 Igor Nedeljković Sileks 11
6 Dejan Blazhevski Vardar 10
7 Armend Alimi Shkëndija 9
Argjent Gafuri Renova
Marjan Radeski Shkëndija
10 Angel Nacev Bregalnica 8

Source: MacedonianFootball

See also

References
  1. "Draw for new season to take place on Monday". MacedonianFootball.com. 24 July 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  2. "First League 2015/2016 - Season rules". Scoresway. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  3. "First League: Season Rules". scoresway.com. Archived from the original on 21 March 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  4. "First League 2015/2016 - Season rules". Scoresway. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  5. "First League 2015/2016 - Season rules". Scoresway. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
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