The Czech Republic under-21 national football team secured a critical 1–0 victory over Bulgaria in Hradec Králové during their European Championship qualifier, moving four points clear of their opponents in Group B with one match remaining. Substitute Daniel Mašek scored the decisive goal in the 55th minute before an attendance of 7,030 spectators, boosting the squad’s chances of reaching the tournament co-hosted by Albania and Serbia.
Czech Republic Defeats Bulgaria 1–0 in Hradec Kralove
Manager Michal Bílek kept the same starting lineup that earned a 1–1 draw against Azerbaijan days prior. While Bulgaria controlled possession for much of the first half, the Czechs generated the primary scoring threats. In the 16th minute, goalkeeper Andrejev stopped a quick shot from Jakub Škrkoň, and Štěpán Konečný missed over the crossbar from close range following a corner kick in the 24th minute.
The deadlock broke shortly after halftime when substitute Daniel Kačor slipped a pass behind the Bulgarian defensive line to Mašek, who finished cleanly past the post. Mašek leads the Czech qualifying campaign with five goals.
“It is an unbelievable feeling to score the winning goal, especially in front of a nearly sold-out stadium,” Mašek told ČT Sport after the match. “Today it was about one goal, and we scored it. Huge credit goes to our defense; we didn’t let Bulgaria into anything.”
Group B Standings and Qualification Scenarios
With the win, the Czech under-21s improved their group standing to 18 points from nine matches, sitting four points ahead of Bulgaria, while Scotland defeated Azerbaijan 5–2. Portugal leads Group B with 22 points following a 4–0 victory over Gibraltar, securing their spot at the tournament.
The nine group winners and the runner-up with the best record advance directly to the final tournament in Albania and Serbia. The remaining eight second-place teams advance to the November play-offs. The Czech team will conclude their group fixtures next week away against Portugal.
“In terms of game quality and teamwork, we won deservedly,” Bílek told ČT Sport. “We had several scoring opportunities and didn’t let the opponent into anything major. As the boys knew we had to win, they went after it unbelievably in the second half.”
Late Red Card and Defensive Resilience
The Czech backline maintained its clean-sheet record at home throughout the qualifying stage. Goalkeeper Adam Koutný and defenders preserved the advantage as Bulgaria pressed late in the match. Iliev missed high from a promising position in the 84th minute.
As Bulgaria applied late pressure in the 89th minute, Todor Pavlov brought down Kačor on a breakaway, earning a straight red card. Kačor sustained an injury during the challenge, and because the Czech team had used all of their substitutions, both sides finished the match a man down. Five minutes of stoppage time elapsed without further scoring, allowing the Czech Republic to avenge a previous 1–2 loss to Bulgaria earlier in the campaign.