As it is known in the first qualifying stage of the 2019/20 UEFA Europa League Pyunik will compete with Shkupi from North Macedonia. It will be the fourth Macedonian club in the Euro Cups with whom Pyunik will meet.

All the previous confrontations have ended in favor of Pyunik. Moreover, our team suffered no defeat in those matches winning four out of six and ending two in a draw. The difference of the goals is 9-3 in favor of Pyunik.

First time the ways of Pyunik and Macedonian clubs crossed in the first qualifying round of the 2004/05 UEFA Champions League where our opponent was Macedonian Pobeda.

The teams’ first match which was played in Skopje ended with our team’s confident victory, 3-1. In that match Pyunik’s 17-year-old footballers, Edgar Manucharyan and Zhora Hovhhanisyan stood out with their excellent play. Especially Edgar became the hero of the match with two goals and one goal pass.

2004/05 UEFA Champions League: First qualifying round: First leg

13.07.2004 Skopje, Phillip II National Arena

Pobeda vs Pyunik 1-3

Goals - Edgar Manucharyan, 15 (0-1), Zhora Hovhannisyan, 27 (0-2), Edgar Manucharyan, 40 (0-3), Blagoja Gesoski, 80 (1-3)

In the 2nd leg Pyunik having an advantage from the first leg failed to concentrate duly on the struggle and to show the same attacking play. Moreover, Pobeda’s footballers were the first to succeed in the 2nd leg  but our team’s defender and captain Artur Mkrtchyan restored the difference in the score with a header 10 minutes before the end of the match and it ended in a tie, 1-1.

By the way till today it is noted on different websites, including the UEFA official website that the author of the goal was Galust Petrosyan who after Mkrtchyan’s kick sent the ball bounced from the horizontal post to the net. But in reality, after Artur Mkrtchyan’s header the ball had already crossed the goal line and he was the real author of the goal.

2004/05 UEFA Champions League: First qualifying round: Second leg

21.07.2004 Yerevan, Republican Stadium

Pyunik vs Pobeda 1-1

Goals - Dragan Dimitrovski, 21 (0-1), Artur Mkrtchyan, 80 (1-1)

The next match with a Macedonian club with whom our team competed took place nine years later. In the first qualifying round of the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League Pyunik’s opponent became Teteks.

The interesting fact was that the team from Tetovo had dropped out of the Macedonian Premier League that season and had qualified for the Euro Cups only due to becoming the winner of the Macedonian Cup.

In the 1st leg taken place at Phillip II National Arena of Skopje Pyunik was ahead thanks to Viulen Ayvazyan’s scored goal, but on the 90th minute after our defenders’ gross mistake the opponent managed to equalize the score, 1-1.

It’s noteworthy that Pyunik’s accurate goal on the 81st minute caused great discontent among Macedonians; in their opinion the goal was scored offside. And opponent’s head coach Gorazd Mihajlov announced after the match that Pyunik didn’t deserve to win the match and had to be thankful to the linesman.

2013/14 UEFA Champions League: First qualifying round: First leg

04.07.2013 Skopje, Phillip II National Arena

Teteks vs Pyunik 1-1

Goals - Viulen Ayvazyan, 81 (0-1), Genc Iseni, 90 (1-1)

Anyway, in the 2nd leg Rafael Nazaryan’s footballers managed to win with a minimal score and qualify for the next round. On the 3rd minute of the added time Viulen Ayvazyan who became the author of all three goals of Pyunik that season succeeded to bring a victory to his team.

2013/14 UEFA Champions League: First qualifying round: Second leg

11.07.2013 Yerevan, Republican Stadium

Pyunik vs Teteks 1-0

Goal - Viulen Ayvazyan, 90+3 (1-0)

Pyunik’s last attempt to compete with Macedonian clubs was made last season of the Europea League where our team managed to reach till the third qualifying round which was the best result in the history of our team.

In the first round Pyunik faced Macedonia’s runner-up Vardar which had made a great fuss in Europe reaching the group stage of the previous Europa League.

In that match not only several footballers but Russian coach Andrey Talalaev made his debut in Pyunik.

In the 1st leg held at Republican Stadium the only goal of our team’s newcomer Mohamed Konate brought a victory to Pyunik, 1-0.

2018/19 UEFA Champions League: First qualifying round: First leg

12.07.2018 Yerevan, Republican Stadium

Pyunik vs Vardar 1-0

Goals - Mohamed Konate, 28 (1-0)

A week later in the 2nd leg between the teams which took place at Phillip II National Arena, and which became lucky for Pyunik in the Euro Cups, our team again managed to overcome the obstacle of  Macedonian clubs.

This time Bacar Balde who came out as a substitute stood out on the last minutes with two goals bringing a win to Pyunik.

2018/19 UEFA Champions League: First qualifying round: Second leg

19.07.2018 Skopje, Phillip II National Arena

Vardar vs Pyunik 0-2

Goals - Bacar Balde, 85 (0-1), Bacar Balde, 89 (0-2)