Czech Republic Faces Portugal in Crucial Under-21 Qualifier
The Czech Republic U21 team prepares for a challenging match against Portugal on November 18th, 2025, at 18:00, as they continue their European Under-21 Championship qualifying campaign. Currently holding second place in Group B with 9 points (3 wins, 1 defeat, 10 goals scored, 3 conceded), the team is under pressure to perform after recent setbacks.
Under the leadership of new head coach Michal Bílek, appointed following a disappointing European Championship, the Czech Republic began their qualifying journey strongly with a 2-0 home victory over Scotland, secured by goals from Kričfaluš and a penalty converted by Eduardo. A subsequent 2-1 win in Gibraltar, despite conceding an early penalty, maintained their momentum, with goals from Vojta and Mašek.
October saw a dominant 5-0 win against Azerbaijan in Karviná, highlighted by a hat-trick from Mašek, alongside goals from Abros and Planka – though Mašek also missed a penalty during the match. However, a recent 1-2 loss in Bulgaria has complicated their path to qualification, with Ilijev and Panayotov overturning an early Czech lead from Šín.
Form heading into the Portugal match is a concern, as a recent kind against Serbia ended in a 1-2 defeat in Pardubice. The Czechs scored only from a penalty awarded for handball, while Serbia found the net through Jovanović and Mijatović. The Serbs were deemed the deserving victors in that match.
Despite currently securing a playoff spot, the Czech republic faces close competition from Bulgaria and Scotland. A strong performance against group leaders Portugal will be vital to solidify their position and move closer to direct qualification for the tournament – and potentially a pathway to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
