It's getting tasty.

Two home players hit the deck as they defend a Hibs attack, before Josh Mulligan is crunched in the middle of the park.

The referee is keeping his cards in his pocket so far, though.

Nathan Lowe does well to keep the ball alive, and it's soon whipped into the box.

It won't fall for Martin Boyle but does sit up nicely for Jordan Obita.

He has space and time to settle himself, but he lashes at it wildly.

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland in Pristina

There might not be loads of Malisheva fans, but they went tonto as that strike from Kreshnik Uka hit the net.

He was the danger man in the last round against Vllaznia, scoring twice in a 5-0 win here.

Hibs need to wake up. Passes are going astray, players are losing their footing on the surface.

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland in Pristina

Well, David Gray said he expected a very aggressive and intense Malisheva side.

He was bang on. Hibs aren't matching that right now.

More home pressure.

Arlind Veliu does well and jinks into the area before his effort is deflected over the bar.

The resulting corner winds up as a Hibs free-kick.

As you were.

Malisheva apply some pressure and win the ball back on the halfway line, but Miguel Chaiwa is adjudged to have been fouled, and Hibs regain possession.

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland in Pristina

The Hibs fans are beating a drum and doing their best to create an atmosphere.

But, aside from the stand I'm sitting in, there's no roof. So the noise kind of drifts out.

A goal would liven it up, and Owen Elding went so close.

Nathan Lowe holds the ball up well and knocks it back down the line for Felix Passlack.

His deep cross is met by Owen Elding, who watches on as his looping header is cleared off the line.

So close to an early breakthrough.

An aimless clipped ball from Jack Iredale is easily cut out, and Malisheva venture forward for the first time.

They almost get in behind, but Raphael Saligner is alert in the Hibs goal and smothers the danger.

Hibs' Nathan Lowe clatters into a central defender and the goalkeeper as he climbs for a crossed ball.

It's been all Hibs so far, in the very early stages.

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland in Pristina

There's not a big home support here. Malisheva is an hour away from Pristina.

However, one of the home fans has a vuvuzela is blasting away....great.

After a lengthy delay on the park, we are under way in Pristina.

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland in Pristina

Hibs captain Martin Boyle was a doubt for this game, but leads his team in Pristina this afternoon.

He's just stroked one into the top corner as Hibs do a shooting drill during their warm up.

More of that needed!

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland in Pristina

I had a wander around Pristina this morning and it's a pleasant city. Loads of nice little cafes - the city is famed for its coffee.

I took in the Bill Clinton statue, a legacy of Nato's intervention in the Kosovo war in 1999 which ultimately lead to the nation's bid for independence in 2008.

I've bumped into some Hibs fans. Some have flown into the Albanian capital Tirana, had a crack at it there, and then made the four-hour journey to Pristina.

It's five euros on the door to get into the game, and Hibs have been assured all of their travelling support will get a ticket.

Proper old school, that.

Image source, SNS

As away trips go, this one is quite the trek.

Fans couldn't purchase tickets in advance either, and had to turn up at the stadium and pay five euros in cash for a ticket.

Imagine getting all the way there only to be knocked back.

Image source, SNS

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland in Pristina

The Hibs players arrived 90 minutes before kick-off and inspected the pitch at the Stadium Fadil Vokrri, Kosovo's national ground.

It looks decent enough, and while it's about 25C in the sun, it's far from unbearable heat. And that's coming from a pasty Scotsman.

The stadium is right in the heart of the city, with tower blocks and flats in view all around.

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland in Pristina

Winger Kreshnik Uka, who followed new head coach Thomas Brdaric from top-flight rivals Drenica this summer, scored twice in that victory and will pose a threat to Hibs, having hit 19 goals last season in the Kosovo top-flight.

Goalkeeper Adnan Kanuric, who played in Austria's second tier with Austria Klagenfurt last season and is one of the other six summer signings, came through the youth ranks with Stoke City and was also on the books at Nottingham Forest.

However, the 25-year-old's only first-team experience in England was on loan to Grantham Town and Oxford City and was on the bench for Malisheva against Vllaznia.

Former Cologne, Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg striker Brdaric took over last month after consolidating newly promoted Drenica's place in the Kosovan top flight with a sixth-place finish.

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland in Pristina

Thursday's hosts were only formed in 2016, starting in the nation's fourth tier and securing top-flight football for the first time in 2021.

After consolidating with mid-table finishes, Malisheva finished third two seasons ago and second last term, seven points behind champions Drita.

This is their third season attempting to qualify for the Conference League, having lost 3-1 on aggregate to Buducnost Podgorica of Montenegro in 2024 after a 1-0 home win.

Last season, they were thumped 9-0 over two legs by Vikingur Reykjavik following an 8-0 drubbing in Iceland.

However, their dismissal of Vllaznia in the last round was a statement of greater intent from the Kosovan side, who are playing the tie in Pristina, an hour away from their home ground.

Our intrepid reporter Thomas Duncan is out in Kosovo for this afternoon's game.

He has handily put together some info on Hibs' opponents and the key players to watch for.

Over to you, Thomas...