Czechia-Ireland

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Match report ✍️

Czechia open EKC 2026 with dominant 32–8 home win over Ireland

Hosts Czechia began their IKF European Korfball Championship 2026 campaign in commanding style, defeating Ireland 32–8 in Group D in Prostějov.

From the opening minutes the Czech side controlled the tempo and created a constant stream of scoring chances. They built a decisive advantage through sharp ball circulation, strong movement and clinical finishing, particularly from medium range. Ireland competed with determination and found occasional replies, but were unable to stem the flow as Czechia maintained intensity across all four quarters in front of their home crowd.

Petr Snajdr led the scoring with six goals, while captain Sara Sahatciu added five. Klara Novakova and Petr Pesak each scored four, with further contributions from Petr Galicek and Jitka Pavlickova (three each). The Czech attack and defence combined effectively under coach Edwin Bouman, with useful impact from the bench.

For Ireland, captain Alf Timney, Martin McDonagh, Flora Timney and Conor Williams each scored twice. Despite the heavy defeat, the Irish side showed spirit under coach John Tighe.

The result gives Czechia an ideal start in Group D, which also features England and Wales. Ireland will look to bounce back in their remaining matches, while the hosts turn their attention to the next challenge as they aim for a strong overall tournament showing on home soil.

Full match statistics and timeline are available at worldkorfball.sport.