Analysis The numbers behind the result
Slovenia's dominance in key areas seals comfortable victory
Slovenia's 2-0 win over FYR Macedonia was fully deserved, reflecting their superior control in decisive attacking metrics. They generated 16 total shots (5 on target) to Macedonia's 10 (1 on target), while their 52% possession translated into greater threat – evidenced by 6 corners to Macedonia's 3 and 13 shots inside the box compared to Macedonia's 7. The hosts' second-half goals from Sandi Lovric (55') and Aljosa Matko (82'), both assisted from open play, capitalised on this sustained pressure.
Macedonia struggled to create clear chances, managing just one shot on target throughout. Their two yellow cards in quick succession (Andrej Stojchevski 51', Jani Atanasov 57') during Slovenia's breakthrough period highlighted defensive discomfort. While possession was balanced (52%-48%), Slovenia's 5 shots on target to Macedonia's 1 tells the story of their superior attacking execution. The key stat: Slovenia generated double the number of shots inside the box (13 to 7), demonstrating their greater penetration in dangerous areas.