Slovak futsalists Source: Profimedia
LUČENEC – The Slovak futsal national team successfully qualified for the European Championship 2026. In the opening match of the 3rd group, the Slovaks confirmed their position as favorites in Lučenec and beat Moldova 3:2.
The qualification cycle continues in the next calendar year. The second round is on the schedule for February 4, 2025 on the board of Poland, in the group the opponents of the Slovaks will also be Turkey.
The duel did not develop according to the expectations of the home team. The Slovaks were tied 1:1 after the first half and even lost by a goal at the beginning of the second half. However, coach Marián Berky’s team did not let up in offensive activity, put pressure on the opponent’s defense and turned the tide within 21 seconds. Captain Tomáš Drahovský managed to equalize, for whom it was the second accurate hit in the match. Sebastián Bačo scored the winning goal.
The ten winners of the qualifying groups will win direct promotion to EURO 2026, the eight best teams in the second places will advance to the extension stage of the play-offs, where they will fight for the next four places. The sixteen participants of the final tournament will be completed by the host countries Latvia and Lithuania, the championship will take place from January 18 to February 8, 2026 in the cities of Riga and Kaunas.
The main round of the European Championship 2026 qualification
3rd group:
SLOVAKIA – Moldova 3:2 (1:1)
Goals: 16. and 31. Drahovský, 32. Bačo – 20. Obada (from 10 m), 24. Gurgurov. Referee: Ošomkov (Est.), ŽK: Doša, Drahovský, Medoň – Gurgurov.
SR lineup: Mičuda (Kušnír) – Bielik, Doša, Drahovský, Zaťovič, Belaník, Ivan, Směřička, Bačo, Ostrák, Greško, Medoň, Marton
Votes after the match /source: STVR Šport/:
Marián Berky, SR coach: “It was a difficult match for the psyche, as we didn’t play so well in the first half. We encouraged the players during the break for the second half to increase their activity. We changed the lineup and it paid off for us. We had a lot of chances, we had a bit of a problem with efficiency, but in the end it was done.”
Tomáš Drahovský, captain of SR and author of two goals: “These are good emotions, because the match ended happily for us. We won, but the feelings are a bit mixed. We have to enter the match a little differently. Although we were leading, but the opponent turned around unnecessarily. We have to learn from this for the next meetings in order to they didn’t repeat the mistakes. The second half was already different, we created pressure and turned the duel around.”
- Author: © List/
- Source: TASR
