Struga Trim Lum beaten 2:0 in Elbasan; Shkendija Arachinovo 1:0 over Makedonija G.P.
Struga were beaten 2:0 in Albania with a rotated squad; in Skopje Shkendija Arachinovo defeated Makedonija G.P. 1:0.
Struga Trim Lum traveled to Albania on 03.10.2026 and lost a friendly against Elbasan by 2:0, despite creating several opportunities to change the scoreline. Coach Bledi Shkembi fielded a combined lineup for the match in order to give playing time to a larger group of senior and young players.
Shkendija Arachinovo edge Makedonija G.P. in Skopje
At the Boris Trajkovski Stadium in Skopje, Shkendija Arachinovo beat Makedonija G.P. 1:0 in another friendly on the same day. The result was narrow, but the young players coached by Bobi Stojkovski generated clear chances that left the final score potentially more favorable for the second-division side from Gjorche.
Struga’s trip to Elbasan was intended mainly as a test of squad depth: the coach rotated personnel, giving minutes to several fringe players and youth prospects to evaluate them ahead of competitive fixtures.
In Skopje, the victory for Shkendija Arachinovo came despite the visitors’ limited experience; the match offered the club a chance to assess its younger players under match conditions against a first-league opponent.
Both matches were played as friendlies on 03.10.2026 and offered coaches an opportunity to experiment with lineups and give game time rather than chase results.
By Zoran Gjorshoski
Photo: press material from the event
