In the Europa Conference League Round of 16 on February 19, 2026, Shkendija-79 and Samsunspor will face off. The visitors will try to secure an overall advantage already in this match.
The Macedonian side climbed from second to first place last season, thus reclaiming the championship title after a four-year break. However, currently Vardar are performing better, with Struga also not far behind the leader. The Turkish side surprised many by finishing third in the national Super League. Now, as expected, they have lost ground and even securing fifth place will be tough.
Bekiri’s men started their European campaign in the summer in the Champions League. Having eliminated New Saints and even FCSB, they stood no chance against Qarabag. In the Europa League, they beat Ludogorets 2-1 at home, but were thrashed in Razgrad. Moving into the current campaign, the team only suffered away defeats. However, seven points collected at home were enough to reach the playoffs.
Ncham and company debuted six months ago in the Europa League. However, their performance was disappointing, limited to a 1-2 loss and a 0-0 draw against Panathinaikos. As a result, they dropped into the Conference League, where Rice’s men won three games in a row. Apparently, they relaxed afterwards, drawing only 2-2 with Breidablik and then losing to both AEK and Mainz.
Shkendija-79 vs Samsunspor: Key Stats and Trends
Shkendija-79 only lost away but always picked up points at home
The club averages 0.67 goals scored and 0.83 conceded per game
Samsunspor have lost two matches in a row
The team scores an average of 1.67 goals and concedes 1 per game
Shkendija-79 vs Samsunspor: Probable Starting Lineups
Shkendija-79 (probable lineup): Ghe – Webster, Tsake, Fetai, Trumchi – Latifi, Kyaka, Ramadani, Spahiu – Zeynulai, Ibraimi
Samsunspor (probable lineup): Kocuk – Thomasson, van Drongelen, Satka, Yavru – Ncham, Makumbu, Assumu, Holse, Tavsan – Ndiaye
Previous Matches: Shkendija-79 vs Samsunspor
The teams have never met before.
