The return leg of the 2025/26 Conference League play-off tie between Samsunspor (Turkey) and FK Shkendija AD Tetovo (North Macedonia) will take place on 26 February at the Samsun Yeni 19 Mayis. The score in the first match was 1:0 in favour of Samsunspor. Samsunspor vs FK Shkendija AD Tetovo: prediction, betting odds and statistics.
Samsunspor
By winning the first leg (1:0), the Turkish side ended a three-match winless run in the Conference League (one draw, two defeats). It is also worth noting that the team have won all four matches in this season’s competition without conceding. At the same time, the club have failed to score in just one of their seven games. To progress, Torsten Fink’s men simply need to avoid defeat in the return fixture.
- The Turks have not lost in five of their seven matches in the 2025/26 Conference League (four wins, one draw).
- In three of their four home European fixtures, Samsunspor have kept a clean sheet.
Potential Samsunspor Lineup (4-5-1)*
Okan Kocuk – Rick van Drongelen, Lubomir Satka, Yosafat Mendes, Zeki Yavru – Logi Tomasson, Carlo Holse, Olivier Ntcham, Jaures Assoumou, Antoine Makoumbou – Seriff Ndiaye.
Midfielder Afonso Sousa and forward Tanguy Coulibaly will miss out through injury.
FK Shkendija AD Tetovo
All three of the Macedonians’ most recent defeats in the Conference League have ended by the same scoreline, 0:1. Overall, the team have failed to score in four matches in this season’s tournament, which reduces their chances of reaching the next round ahead of the return leg. FK Shkendija AD Tetovo need to beat their opponents by at least two goals. If Jeton Bekiri’s side win by exactly one goal, the tie will go to extra time.
- At least one of the two sides has failed to score in six of the Macedonians’ last seven games in the Europa League.
- In this tournament, the club are on a five-match losing streak away from home.
- In five of their last seven away matches in the Conference League, FK Shkendija AD Tetovo have conceded no more than one goal.
Potential FK Shkendija AD Tetovo Lineup (3-4-3)*
Baboucarr Gaye – Imran Fetai, Ronaldo Webster, Anes Melici – Arbin Zejnullai, Mevlan Murati, Adamu Alhassan, Sebastian Spahiu – Reshat Ramadani, Besart Ibraimi, Fabris Tamba.
Referee
Simone Sozza (Italy)
Matches – 11 (international fixtures, 2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 36;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.3;
Red cards shown – 2;
Fouls per match (average) – 21;
Penalties – 36%.
Samsunspor vs FK Shkendija AD Tetovo: Match Prediction
The Turks could have won by a wider margin in Skopje. Samsunspor enjoyed a significant advantage but converted only one of their many chances, and Torsten Fink’s side also missed a penalty. It appears the team have issues in the final third. The club have now gone three straight Conference League games without scoring more than once, and in the last round of the domestic league they did not register a single shot on target against the competition’s bottom side.
The Macedonians’ attacking problems run even deeper: the team have scored more than once in just one of their last 13 Conference League matches. Away from home, FK Shkendija AD Tetovo have now gone five straight games without finding the net. However, it is worth noting that the side do not suffer defensive collapses. In the 2025/26 Conference League, the club have conceded more than one goal only in a match against Spanish opposition.
Prediction: Under 2.5 goals
* Each team’s starting XI is taken from their previous match in this tournament.
