- FK Shkendija 79 won 3 and lost 2 of their last 5 matches, beating FK Vardar Skopje 3-0.
- Hibernian FC won 3 and lost 2 of their last 5, bouncing back from a 2-1 defeat to Motherwell to beat Shkendija 2-1.
- Shkendija average 2.00 goals scored and 1.30 goals conceded per match across all competitions.
Shkendija and Hibs look a close match
Hibernian FC landed the first punch in their UEFA Conference League Qualification tussle with FK Shkendija 79, edging the North Macedonian side 2-1 on a night when either team might have come out on top. A close game is expected again when these teams meet at the Todor Proeski Arena on Thursday.
Hibs have been the more impressive of the two teams in the build-up to the second leg, winning three and losing two of their five competitive matches, but the narrowness of their victory in Macedonia and the general form of both teams suggests that David Gray's side are unlikely to have it all their own way on Thursday.
Shkendija, who have five wins, one draw and four defeats from their ten matches in all competitions in 2026, are no walkovers and arrive in North Macedonia off the back of a 3-0 victory over FK Vardar Skopje and a 3-1 win over NK Bravo.
Gray's flexibility could be key
Artim Polozani's side, who have played in a 4-2-3-1 and a 4-3-3 formation, are built around compact, vertical football with quick outlets and a set-piece threat, but they are not impregnable at the back.
Gray, who has been in charge of Hibernian since 15th May 2024, is more of a pragmatist and has used his ability to switch between a back four and a wing-back system to give Hibs a sharp edge in terms of both trigger pressing and quick transitions in the past month or so.
The Hibs boss is a little more likely to be proved right in this contest as the Edinburgh club are the favourites for the match at 2.44, with Shkendija at 2.87 and the draw at 3.53, but the team are coming off the better of the first leg and there's enough in the overall form of both sides to suggest that Shkendija might have to battle it out to get the job done.
Unders and both teams to score are the plays
Hibs have conceded 12 goals in their ten competitive matches in 2026, an average of 1.20 per game that suggests they have enough of a solid spine to make the difference against the underdog team here. Shkendija have an average of 1.30 goals per game conceded in that time, and have scored an average of 2.00 themselves, so the market looks a little short for this contest to be a stroll.
Under 2.5 goals at 1.93 therefore looks a solid option, while Both Teams To Score - Yes at 1.65 looks like a good accompaniment to the main selection.
Shkendija's Almir Kryeziu, who has two goals in five UEFA Conference League Qualifiers in 2026, is the team's most reliable outlet and sharpest finisher. Owen Elding has been Hibs' most prolific finisher in the competition, also hitting two in three.
