Shkendija Tetovo fell to a 1-0 home defeat against Turkish Süper Lig outfit Samsunspor in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League knockout tie on February 20, 2026. The solitary goal gave Samsunspor a valuable advantage to take back to Turkey for the second leg. Playing in front of their home supporters in Tetovo, Shkendija struggled to create clear-cut chances against a well-organized Samsunspor defense. The Turkish side's winning goal likely came from a moment of individual quality or a defensive lapse, capitalizing on their superior experience at this level of European competition. Despite the loss, keeping the deficit to just one goal offered Shkendija a glimmer of hope for the return fixture, though they faced a tough task away from home. The match result highlighted the challenge for clubs from North Macedonia against teams from higher-ranked leagues in Europe.