Samsunspor took a decisive step toward the UEFA Conference League last 16 with a hard-earned 1-0 win over Shkendija in the first leg of their knockout phase play-off on Thursday night.
On a cold evening at Tose Proeski Arena, the Turkish side showed patience and control, then delivered the telling blow when it mattered most.
Substitute Marius Mouandilmadji struck in the 77th minute, handing coach Thorsten Fink’s team a valuable away victory to carry back to Samsun.
Samsunspor set the tone from kickoff. They pressed high, controlled possession and pinned Shkendija deep inside their own half.
The breakthrough should have come within six minutes when Cherif Ndiaye won a penalty after being clipped in the box.
But the Senegalese forward dragged his effort wide, letting the hosts off the hook and briefly lifting the home crowd.
Shkendija, organized in a compact 4-2-3-1, absorbed pressure and searched for counters through captain Besart Ibraimi and Arlind Zejnulai.
Clear chances were scarce. Samsunspor’s back line, marshaled by Ľubomír satka and Rick van Drongelen, read the long balls well and kept goalkeeper Okan Koçuk largely untroubled.
Despite their territorial edge, the visitors went into halftime level, knowing they had let one big opportunity slip.
The second half followed a similar pattern. Shkendija showed more ambition after the restart, but their attacks lacked precision in the final third.
Fink turned to his bench in the 72nd minute, replacing Ndiaye with Mouandilmadji. The move paid off almost instantly.
Five minutes later, Carlo Holse found space and slipped a precise pass into the area.
Mouandilmadji met it in stride and drilled a right-footed finish past the goalkeeper from close range.
It was clinical, composed and exactly what Samsunspor’s dominance deserved.
Shkendija threw bodies forward in the closing stages, but Samsunspor managed the game with maturity.
Late bookings for Ebrima Ceesay and Holse reflected the visitors’ determination to protect their lead. A stoppage-time effort from Vane Krstevski drifted wide, and with it went the hosts’ best hope of a draw.
The numbers told the story. More possession, more shots and greater control belonged to Samsunspor. Shkendija relied on set pieces and long range attempts but rarely looked capable of breaking through a disciplined Turkish defense.
For Samsunspor, it was not spectacular, but it was smart. An away clean sheet in European knockout football is gold.
The return leg at Samsun Yeni 19 Mayıs Stadium on Feb. 26 now tilts in their favor.
Shkendija must score in Türkiye and keep the hosts at bay to force extra time, a daunting task against a side that has grown in confidence through this campaign.
