Skopje, 7 July 2026. KuPS Kuopio secured a 2–0 first-leg win over Vardar Skopje at the Toše Proeski Arena in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League 2026/27. Both goals arrived within four minutes either side of half-time — timing that gave the hosts absolutely no opportunity to respond.
Vardar return after eight years — and are immediately put under pressure
It was a special evening for Vardar Skopje: as North Macedonian champions in 2025/26, the club were back in Champions League qualifying for the first time since the 2017/18 season. Head coach Cristian Fabbiani set his side up in a 4-4-2, while KuPS manager Miika Nuutinen deployed his team in a 4-2-3-1. The Finns arrived as Veikkausliiga league leaders — having most recently hammered HJK Helsinki 4–0 away from home — and carried that confidence onto the pitch. In the 30th minute, Vardar's Matic picked up the first yellow card of the evening, a sign that the home side were being forced to defend with increasingly physical means.
Double strike in four minutes: Magassa and Armah break the game open
The decisive phase began in first-half stoppage time. Brahima Magassa, a 29-year-old French defender, put KuPS ahead in the 45th minute with an assist from Antwi. The goal could not have come at a worse moment for Vardar — there was simply no time left to respond before the break. The hosts tried to reorganise during the interval, introducing Rodrigues for Torres straight away. But just four minutes after the restart, KuPS struck again. Bob Nii Armah — the 22-year-old Ghanaian right back who had joined the club from Accra Lions FC in January 2025 — made it 0–2 in the 49th minute. Armah, already a Veikkausliiga title winner with KuPS in 2025, was now delivering on the European stage as well.
Red card for Bosancic — Vardar's resistance collapses completely
The closing stages were marred by a series of disciplinary lapses from the home side. Bosancic, who had come off the bench in the 62nd minute, was first booked in the 70th minute, then shown a second yellow card just four minutes later — reducing Vardar to ten men for the final 16 minutes. Nikolov (80') and Danev (92') also picked up yellow cards. KuPS managed the lead composedly, withdrawing goalscorer Armah in the 86th minute and bringing on Heiskanen to see out the game.
The tie is all but decided ahead of the second leg
The final score read 0–2 from the home side's perspective. KuPS head back to Kuopio with a comfortable two-goal cushion for the return fixture. Vardar must now score at least three goals away from home to have any chance of progressing — a tall order given the performance levels on display. For KuPS, it was a near-flawless evening: an away win in Skopje, delivered by two defenders who found the net at exactly the right moment.
