Hibernian faces an uphill battle in their quest for Conference League football after a 2-0 defeat to Malisheva in the first leg of their second qualifying round tie. The Scottish side was overcome by the unfancied Kosovan outfit in the match played at the Fadil Vokrri Stadium in Pristina.
Malisheva opened the scoring in the 21st minute when Kreshnik Uka found the back of the net from close range. Despite increased pressure from Hibernian in the second half, including missed chances by new signing Nathan Lowe, Valjmir Nafiu sealed the victory for the home team with a goal in the 90th minute.
Hibernian manager David Gray acknowledged that his team performed below expectations. "We were way below the requirement and the expectations of this football club," Gray stated after the match. "I know that, and it’s a reflection on myself and the team. We weren’t good enough."
Gray expressed that the team let down their traveling supporters, who voiced their dissatisfaction with boos at the end of the match. He conceded that "Everything that could have went wrong for us today certainly did and it’s very hard to win games of football when there’s so many of us not at the level required." He added that not a single player reached their peak performance.
Despite the disappointing result, Gray remains confident in his squad's ability to turn the tie around in the second leg at Easter Road. "The only positive, if there is anything to come out of today, is the fact it’s happened in the first leg and there is still an opportunity to turn it around — and I do believe we are good enough to do it from what I’ve seen today," he said.
In the early stages of the match, Hibernian had a header from Owen Elding cleared off the line by Malisheva captain Dreni Kryeziu. Malisheva, a club founded only a decade ago, showcased an aggressive style, transitioning quickly, which was evident in their second goal.
New signing Lowe, a striker on loan from Stoke, started for Hibernian in their first competitive game of the season. He had a couple of notable chances in the second half, including hitting the outside of the post and a drive that missed the target.
The return leg is scheduled to take place at Easter Road next week, where Hibernian will need to overcome the two-goal deficit.