Celje vs Shkendija

A largely even contest produced few clear chances in the first half. Celje, under Portuguese head coach Vitor Campelos, controlled possession but struggled to break down a well-organised Shkëndija defence.

The match's decisive moment arrived in the 80th minute. Experienced left-back Mario Kvesić slipped a precise through ball behind the Shkëndija back line, and Suhovršnik — who signed a new long-term contract with Celje through 2029 earlier this month — finished calmly past the goalkeeper for 1-0.

Campelos gave minutes to 22 different players across the 90 minutes, including new signing Žiga Frelih. The goalkeeper, formerly of Olimpija Ljubljana and Slovakian side Spartak Trnava, replaced Žan Luka Leban between the posts in the second half for his debut in Celje colours.

A red card was shown in the 64th minute, though the identity of the player sent off was not confirmed in match reports.

Kvesić's through ball in the 80th minute changed the game. Until then, Shkëndija had frustrated the Slovenian champions with disciplined defensive organisation. The assist unlocked the Macedonian back line for the only time all afternoon, and Suhovršnik made no mistake.

Dejan Suhovršnik (Celje) — The 19-year-old was decisive, scoring the winner with a composed finish. His new contract extension earlier this month signals Celje's long-term faith in the young forward.

Mario Kvesić (Celje) — The veteran full-back's vision and execution provided the game's only assist. His through ball was the one moment of genuine incision in an otherwise cagey friendly.

Žiga Frelih (Celje) — Made his unofficial debut after joining from Spartak Trnava. The former Olimpija Ljubljana keeper kept a clean sheet in his second-half appearance.

The 1-0 scoreline reflected a tight contest with few chances. Celje edged possession and territory but Shkëndija defended compactly, especially in the first half. The fact that Campelos used 22 players — effectively two different XIs — makes the statistical picture unreliable for drawing conclusions about dominance.

This was Celje's first pre-season friendly of summer 2026. The club won the Slovenian PrvaLiga title in 2025/26 — their third league championship — and also lifted the Slovenian Cup in 2024/25. Campelos will use the coming weeks to integrate new arrivals like Frelih and build fitness ahead of European qualification ties.

For Shkëndija, managed by Artim Pollozhani, this was the third of six planned pre-season friendlies during their training camp in Slovenia. They lost 4-0 to Hajduk Split on 23 June and beat Koper 2-1 on 19 June. Their next friendly is against Ukrainian side Zorya Lugansk on 30 June. Shkëndija will enter UEFA Conference League qualifying in July.

A typical early pre-season friendly: low intensity, rotated heavily, settled by a single moment of quality. Celje got what they needed — minutes, a clean sheet, and a goal from a promising youngster. Too early to read anything into the performance.