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Friday August 7th 2026 Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Ewan Hornell Hibs left it late but head to North Macedonia with a 1 goal buffer after a first leg win. Goals from Owen Elding and a late winner from Warren O’Hora saw Hibs come out with a 2-1 victory in a successful but frustrating European night at Easter Road. There was little time to wallow in frustration from Sunday’s opening day defeat to Motherwell as Hibs hosted North Macedonian side, KF Shkendija, under the Easter Road lights in the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round. Pre match, KF Shkendija were touted as stiffer opposition than Kosovan side, Malisheva who Hibs had bested in the previous round, overturning a two goal deficit in the second leg with a 4-1 home win. There was a sense of opportunity around the ground pre match — a place in the league stage proper was a real possibility. But, first take care of the job at hand. Hibs’ play began positively as the controlled the opening stages. But, with every first half minute that passed the players and supporters grew increasingly frustrated as they struggled to create any significant opportunities at goal. The frustration bled into their ball retention. Passes became wayward and sloppy as enforced errors grew. It was clear that the away side were entirely comfortable frustrating Hibs – a draw suited them. Shkendija remained compact defensively but offered little threat going forward other than progressing off of Hibs mistakes. What little positive first half play there was for the home side stemmed from Owen Elding. His work rate and tenacity was what initially impressed after his January move from Sligo Rovers. But he now seems to be operating at a speed above not just the opposition but his own teammates. He is, however, still guilty of getting ahead of himself, speeding up too much and letting things race away from him. If, he can harness his sharpness consistently, then he may prove Hibs’ most valuable asset on the pitch and in any future sale. For all their frustration Hibs did have one glorious first half chance. This week marked the anniversary of St Johnstone’s remarkable 1-1 draw against Galatasaray in the 2021 Europa League Qualifiers. It was summer signing, Jason Kerr, who found the net for the Saints that day and he should have done the same here for Hibs. Adam Mayor looped a free kick to the back post and Kerr, unopposed, could not direct his header on target, squandering a valuable chance to put Hibs ahead. Hibs struggled to assert themselves after half time as the tension grew from within the crowd. Devoid of attacking ideas, David Gray turned to his bench for a spark. It was substitute and debutant, Callum Wright who dutifully provided. In the 74th minute Wright slipped through the Shkendija defence before finding Owen Elding. The cross was converted by Elding with a smart finish to put Hibs ahead Wright’s debut and impact off the bench should not be overlooked. More than just an assist he showed multiple other moments of real quality. He looked measured in possession, with no issues taking the ball under pressure. On a number of occasions he manufactured chances for himself and teammates through his dribbling and the gravity it drew. Before any wishful dreams of Conference League travelling could even begin Shkendija had equalised. Striker, Marko Gjorgjievski found himself on the end of a through ball in the 76th minute. His cute finish beat Raphael Sallinger to draw the tie level. It seemed as though Gray’s side had given away their lead and would be heading to North Macedonia with the second leg in the balance. Except, there was still more drama to come. Warren O’Hora bundled home the ball from a corner, just before stoppage time to seal a dramatic late winner for Hibs. Their lead nearly doubled in stoppage time as once more, Jason Kerr had the chance to score. His header was denied by a combination of goalkeeper and bar to ensure the score remained 2-1. Not the most aesthetically pleasing performance but Hibs find themselves heading to North Macedonia with the advantage – albeit a slight one. David Gray was pleased with the character his side showed despite not playing to their finest. “Do I think we can play better? Yes. Do I think we were probably better at the weekend and lost the game? Probably. But, winning games of football is difficult, especially in Europe. “We found ourselves pegged back at one – one with not long to go and then the character showed from the players to use the home advantage and make sure we ended in front. “The players should take a lot of confidence from that, knowing that we didn’t play our best tonight but still found a way to win the game, at a very difficult level.” Tweet Share on Facebook