Shkendija aim to bounce back after loss — visit Arsimi in Gostivar

Shkendija will try to rebound immediately after suffering their first defeat of the season: following five straight wins to open the campaign, they were beaten 1-3 by Tikvesh and now travel to face Arsimi in Gostivar on September 11, 2026 at 16:00.

Right-back Aleksander Trumchi stressed the team must be focused. "Arsimi is a serious team and I think every side will cause us problems if we are not serious and if we do not play our game as we should. We intend in Gostivar to give our maximum to get the victory. We analysed the defeat against Tikvesh, we know where the mistakes are and we want to return to the winning ways," he said.

Head coach Artim Polozhani will be without suspended Drilon Islami and the injured Bojan Dimoski for the trip, but Babukar Gaje, Rafael Freitas and Marko Gjorgievski are available for selection and could feature in the starting lineup.

The loss to Tikvesh was a surprise for the Tetovo side, who had been seen as one of the main title favourites after an ideal start to the season. The match in Gostivar represents an early chance to stop the momentum slip and restore confidence in the squad.

Shkendija's staff say they have reviewed the mistakes made in the 1-3 defeat and will aim to correct them tactically and mentally ahead of today's fixture.

Match focus

The kickoff is set for 16:00 in Gostivar; on paper Shkendija remain favourites, but Arsimi will present a stern test if the visitors repeat the errors that cost them against Tikvesh.

Photo: press material from the event