Ukraine continued their impressive start to the EuroHockey 5s Championship Men 2026 in Wałcz, Poland, establishing themselves as the team to beat. Four victories from their opening four matches left the Ukrainians unbeaten and clear at the top of the standings heading into the latter stages of the competition.
Central to Ukraine’s success has been Volodymyr Kaplinskyi, who leads the tournament goalscoring charts with ten goals, 9 from open play and the 10th from a challenge. His finishing has been a key factor in Ukraine’s high-scoring performances, helping his side establish a significant advantage in goal difference and maintain their perfect record.
Hosts Poland remain Ukraine’s closest challengers after winning two of their first four matches, while Sweden and Slovakia remain in contention for the remaining placings. Bulgaria, competing in a challenging event for this young side, continue to gain valuable international experience against some of Europe’s strongest Hockey5s nations.
Results:
Pool Standings
| Rank | Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ukraine | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | +24 | 9 |
| 2 | Poland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +14 | 6 |
| 3 | Sweden | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -7 | 3 |
| 4 | Slovakia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -12 | 3 |
| 5 | Bulgaria | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -19 | 0 |
Photograph: Ukraine v Poland – Mariusz Jarząb Sport Foto
