Lousada, Portugal is the venue for the men’s EuroHockey Indoor U21 Championship II as four nations battle for gold on Saturday and Sunday.

The format sees each team play each other in a round-robin group phase with the top two advancing to play in Sunday afternoon’s final and the other two teams playing off for third spot.

To follow the live scores and information from the event, click here: https://tms.fih.ch/competitions/1556

Team by team previews:

Bulgaria

Bulgaria return to Under-21 indoor action for their third competition at this level, finishing fifth in 2009 in the Trophy and then – in their most recent performance – came fifth in Championship II in 2015 in Sveti Ivan Zelina.

The side is built primarily around the side who played at Under-18 international level in Türkiye in 2023 with only 15-year-old Ivan Vasilev not part of that line-up. Ivan Yanchev was captain of that side with Aleksandar Todorov one of the main go-to men for goals.

Indoor-wise, Todorov, Andon Bezergyanov, Boris Punkov, Daniel Lekov, goalkeeper Dimitar Pashov and Martin Momchilov all progressed to make their senior debuts at the Championship II-B hosted in Budapest where they finished in fourth place.

Momchilov has also shone for club side FHC Slavia 1921, scoring three times in the Club Challenge I in Ferrara. The side coached by Stefan Chavdarov who has played in several indoor club competitions and coached NSA, FHC Akademik and Slavlia 1921 over the past decade.

Hungary

After a hiatus of nearly a decade, Hungary’s Under-21 hockey team is set to make its return to this stage for the first since 2015, making this an exciting yet challenging opportunity.

While experience at this level is limited, the roster includes several players with valuable international exposure. Notably, Alexián Csőgör and team captain András Hortobágyi bring a wealth of experience, having represented Hungary in the senior indoor national team last year. Additionally, several players have competed at international club level, adding depth to the team.

The squad is built around last year’s indoor champions, Soroksári HC, forming a solid core. However, players from five different clubs have been selected, showcasing the country’s growing talent pool and ensuring a diverse and dynamic team.

Preparation for the tournament has not been without its challenges. Scheduling training sessions within a packed competition calendar proved tricky, and the team lacked opportunities to play international matches.

Despite this, the squad has made significant progress and benefited from excellent facilities and valuable practice matches against Hungary’s two strongest club teams, which helped refine strategies and foster team unity.

As the championship approaches, the team’s goals remain realistic. With limited knowledge of their opponents, the focus is on delivering their best performance rather than aiming for specific rankings. The players and coaching staff are confident that good results will follow if they play to their full potential.

Captain Hortobágyi says of the event: “Our team has been working hard in preparation for the U21 Indoor Championships. We are motivated to represent Hungary with pride and determination. Each player brings unique strengths, and together, we aim to showcase the teamwork and resilience that define us. We are here to grow and improve, but we also want to bring out the very best in ourselves.”

Portugal

Portugal’s Under-21 side have enjoyed success in the past at this level, winning the second tier in Copenhagen in 2000 and then played twice in a row in the the top championship in 2002 and 2004.

After that, they have always been in Championship II, this year with a renovated team the target is to win this competition and promotion.

While many of their panel are making their international debuts, they do have serious star power. Captain Rodrigo Castro and goalkeeper Baltazar Portugal both played last February in the EuroHockey Indoor Champions In Leuven with the former netting six times in that elite competition.

Indeed, across 57 senior and Under-21 internationals across indoor and outdoor, he has 27 goals to his name. Tomas Teixeira, Aidan Fourie and Gonçalo Marques also have senior international experience to give the side a strong spine.

Playing at home with the support from the Portuguese fans and hockey community will be an extra boost for the goal they hope to achieve.

Slovakia

Slovakia will be looking to bounce back from a formative appearance in the top division in 2023 when they finished in 10^th place in Nymburk. In the second tier, they have been contenders on numerous occasions, finishing in the medals on seven occasions, including a silver medal in 2019 on their last visit to Portugal.

Ten of the side that played two years ago are available once again, illustrating how young the side was back then. This includes Richard Garaj who captained the team in 2023 and is an established member of their senior squad and making his way now with AHTC Wien in Austria.

Šimon Belošovič has additional Euro experience with club side KPH Raca, winning gold at Club Challenge I in Italy last February, earning a spot in the second tier in Europe.

Match #	Date/Time	Details
01	18 Jan 2025 11:00	SVK v HUN (Pool A)
02	18 Jan 2025 12:30	POR v BUL (Pool A)
03	18 Jan 2025 17:00	HUN v BUL (Pool A)
04	18 Jan 2025 18:30	POR v SVK (Pool A)
05	19 Jan 2025 08:30	SVK v BUL (Pool A)
06	19 Jan 2025 09:45	HUN v POR (Pool A)
07	19 Jan 2025 13:15	3rd Pool A v 4th Pool A (3rd/4th Place)
08	19 Jan 2025 14:45	1st Pool A v 2nd Pool A (Final)