Preview
Shkëndija Haracine were among the busiest clubs during the transfer window, bringing in around 15–16 new players, many of whom have considerable top-flight and international experience. Among the most notable additions are Besir Demiri, Simonovski and Fazlagić and these reinforcements are now beginning to make a significant impact.
The hosts have found their rhythm at the right moment, winning three of their last four league matches and also progressing to the Cup Round of 16 five days ago. Their squad is increasingly showing its quality and depth. The only absence today is Fazlagić (4/2 suspended), but the return of key striker Simonovski (4/1) provides an important boost to their attacking options.
Skopje is the only team in the league still without a victory, sitting at 0-3-3 after six rounds. In my opinion, they are the main candidates for relegation. Their squad lacks quality compared with the stronger sides in the division, while their attacking problems are particularly concerning, having scored just three goals in six matches.
Interestingly, Shkëndija Haracine have been the league’s strongest away side but are still searching for their first home victory. This fixture therefore represents an excellent opportunity to finally break that home drought. With superior squad quality, significantly better recent form and the return of Simonovski, I expect Shkëndija Haracine to take advantage of Skopje’s weaknesses, secure their first home victory and move into third place, just three points behind league leaders Shkëndija.