Al-Feiha’s Trajkovski shocks world as North Macedonia end Italy’s World Cup hopes

RIYADH: When Aleksandar Trajkovski returns to Saudi Arabia at the end of this week, he is going to have quite a story to tell his Al-Feiha teammates.

The forward was last in action when the mid-table Saudi Pro League team lost to Al-Nassr on March 17, before heading to Europe to report for international duty with North Macedonia.

It is safe to say that when Trajkovski left the country for the first World Cup playoff on March 24 against Italy, most of his clubmates were expecting him to be back at Al-Feiha fairly quickly. Instead the 29-year-old is preparing to take on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal team with a place at Qatar 2022 awaiting the winner.

It’s a big ask of the heroic Macedonians, but whatever the outcome the player has already made history and has been the talk of the footballing world.

It was his goal for North Macedonia that knocked Italy out of World Cup qualification on Thursday in Palermo and set up the crucial game with Portugal in Porto. It was a low shot from outside the area in the 92nd minute that condemned the European champions to a second successive absence from the World Cup.

Even in Saudi Arabia, there has not been much said about the exploits of the player from Al-Feiha, who arrived in January. The team itself have progressed quietly through the season without really looking like they were going to be relegated or challenge for the top spots.

Defensively solidity does not make many headlines. At the back, the team have been outstanding and despite sitting in eighth, have the best defensive record in the league with just 19 goals conceded. The problem has been at the opposite end with the same number of goals scored. Only Al-Hazm in last place have found the target on fewer occasions. The