- Hibernian FC have lost 3 of their last 5 matches in all competitions (2 wins, 3 defeats).
- FC Malisheva have won 2 of their last 5 in all competitions (2 wins, 1 draw, 2 defeats).
Hibs have point to prove
Hibernian FC have won 2 and lost 3 of their last 5 in all competitions and David Gray will need his players to respond after losing the first leg of this tie 2-0 in UEFA Conference League Qualification 2026. They beat Brondby I.F. 2-1 in a Friendly Club Match at home on Saturday, but the previous result and a home record that reads 1 win and 3 defeats from 4 will have Gray worried that his side haven't quite got the confidence to see this one through.
Thomas Brdaric is a relatively new manager for FC Malisheva, coming in at the start of the season on 21st June 2026, but he has made an immediate impact on his side. They've looked organised, disciplined and dangerous on the break, winning their last 2, a 5-0 home thrashing of KS Vllaznia Shkoder, before beating Hibernian FC 2-0 at home in the first-leg of this UEFA Conference League Qualification 2026 tie.
FC Malisheva have won 5 of their last 10 in all competitions, with 1 draw and 4 defeats, which is a much better return than Hibernian's win 4, defeat 6 run during the same period. They have won 2 and lost 2 of their last 5 however, so this will be a scrap.
A tale of two wide men
The hosts like to play on the front foot, with Gray's wing-backs hugging the by-line and ball wide in order to overload the half-spaces and push the ball into the channels. Malisheva like to sit in a compact block and hit quickly, with Kreshnik Uka as their main man up top. Uka has scored 3 in 3 in this competition so far, and he has also scored 3 of Malisheva's 8 goals across their last 5 games.
Uka is a lethal finisher, and the visitors should be able to cause some problems in transition and on the counter attack, particularly with the wing-backs providing support. The flank battles will be a proper scrap on Thursday, and that will go a long way to deciding whether Hibernian can stretch the play and impose their tempo, or if Malisheva can keep it compact and nick the goals. With this being an upset in the making, and Malisheva coming into the game on the back of a 2-game winning streak, we think the compact underdog will be very hard to break down, so we're backing them to at least grab a goal on Thursday.
Under 2.5 Match Goals at 3/2 and Both Teams To Score - No at 39/50 are also favourable.
