Hibernian vs Shkendija - prediction, team news, lineups

Hibernian volition play big to Shkendija astatine Easter Road Stadium connected Thursday for the archetypal limb gathering of their Conference League 3rd qualifying circular tie. 

Both teams came from down to unafraid 4-3 aggregate triumphs successful their 2nd qualifying circular fixtures. 

Match preview

Hibernian qualified for the Conference League qualifiers acknowledgment to Celtic's Scottish FA Cup triumph astatine the extremity of 2025-26. 

Drawn against FC Malisheva successful the 2nd qualifying round, Hibernian went into the archetypal limb afloat of assurance pursuing encouraging pre-season wins against Cliftonville FC (5-1) and Brondby (2-1). 

However, David Gray's broadside suffered a daze 2-0 decision successful Kosovo, leaving Hibs with a upland to ascent heading backmost to Easter Road for the 2nd limb fixture. 

A accelerated commencement saw Hibernian level the necktie wrong 15 minutes, acknowledgment to goals from Owen Elding and Felix Passlack, with Nathan Lowe and Martin Boyle adding to the scoring to assistance seal a 4-1 triumph and 4-3 aggregate triumph. 

Hibernian failed to physique connected that momentum erstwhile they took connected Motherwell connected matchday 1 of the caller Scottish Premiership campaign, losing 2-1 aft conceding an 85th-minute victor to Ibrahim Said. 

Gray volition present beryllium looking for his broadside to rapidly bounce backmost and grounds a archetypal limb triumph against Shkendija, with Hibernian aiming to unafraid a spot successful European contention for the archetypal clip since the 2005-06 UEFA Cup. 

Hibernian volition beryllium favourites going into the tie, but Shkendija volition beryllium afloat of assurance aft a affirmative commencement to the 2026-27 campaign. 

Shkendija, aft failing to triumph immoderate of their last 3 pre-season fixtures, got their competitory play underway with a commanding 5-0 triumph implicit Europa FC successful the archetypal limb of their Conference League archetypal qualifying round. 

After beating Europa 1-0 successful the 2nd leg, Shkendija fell to a 2-1 decision distant from location successful the archetypal limb of their 2nd round, leaving them with enactment to bash successful the reverse fixture astatine their location ground. 

Artim Polozani's side's attraction archetypal turned to their opening lucifer of the 1. MFL campaign, which they won 3-0 against Skopje, and they followed that up by coming from down to seal a 3-1 triumph and 4-3 aggregate triumph implicit Bravo. 

Now drawn against Hibernian successful the 3rd round, Shkendija volition beryllium hoping to enactment successful the necktie earlier their location limb adjacent week, with the North Macedonian broadside hoping to marque it to the league signifier of the Conference League successful back-to-back seasons.

Hibernian Conference League form:

L W

Hibernian signifier (all competitions):

L W L

Shkendija Conference League form:

W W L W

Shkendija signifier (all competitions):

W W L W W 

Team News

Hibernian are acceptable to beryllium without Jamie McGrath (calf), Nicky Cadden (calf) and Rocky Bushiri (Achilles tendon) owed to ongoing wounded issues. 

Lowe has enjoyed a beardown commencement to beingness astatine Hibernian, scoring 3 goals successful 4 appearances, and the guardant is apt to pb the enactment alongside Elding and Boyle. 

As for Shkendija, Polozani whitethorn determine to sanction a akin squad coming disconnected the backmost of 2 consecutive wins. 

Fahd Ndzengue could spearhead the attack, with Almir Kryeziu, Sebastjan Spahiu and Fabrice Tamba providing support.

Hibernian imaginable starting lineup:

Sallinger; O'Hora, Kerr, Obita; Passlack, Mulligan, Chaiwa, Mayor; Elding, Lowe, Boyle

Shkendija imaginable starting lineup:

Amzai; Trumci, Islami, Meljichi, Dimoski; Zejnullai, Freitas; Tamba, Spahiu, Kryeziu; Ndzengue

We say: Hibernian 2-0 Shkendija

Hibernian whitethorn person experienced a mixed commencement to the season, but they demonstrated their location spot successful the 2nd limb of their 2nd qualifying circular and volition beryllium assured of repeating that effect connected Thursday. 

Although Shkendija are successful superior signifier heading into the clash, the hosts should person capable prime to get implicit the enactment with a pb to instrumentality to North Macedonia.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.