The Czech national team is currently unstoppable. After a historic first-ever EHF Euro Cup win earlier this week, the squad proved that their success was no fluke. On Saturday, Tomáš Hlavatý’s team completed a perfect double over Turkey when the team secured a commanding 36–24 victory in front of their home fans in Zlín.
Initially, Czechia struggled to find their rhythm in the EHF Euro Cup 2026. They failed to secure points in the opening rounds against giants like Denmark and Hungary. Consequently, this double-header against co-hosts Turkey became a vital turning point, where the players certainly rose to the occasion.
A historic week for the squad
The success story began on Wednesday in Kastamonu. During that match, Czechia earned a solid 34–26 away win. Furthermore, Eliška Desortová stole the headlines with a stellar debut performance. She netted eight goals and set the tone for the week.
Meanwhile, the momentum carried over to the rematch in Zlín on Saturday. The Czech dominance grew even stronger as the match progressed. Although they led 17–12 at the break, the home side never slowed down. Instead, the defensive unit stood tall while the transition play remained lethal. As a result, the lead stretched to a massive 12-goal margin by the final whistle.
While Turkey relied heavily on Nurceren Akgün Güntepe, Czechia found goals from all over the court. Specifically, stars like Markéta Jeřábková and Charlotte Cholevová led the charge with clinical finishing. Because of this team effort, they have now leapfrogged Turkey in the standings.
The final score was 36–24 for Czechia.
Looking ahead
Czechia has now solidified its position with four points on the board. Therefore, head coach Hlavatý can look forward to the final rounds in April with confidence.
– We tried to play a simple game, Desortová told EHF media. She added that the team focused heavily on their defense.