World Championship· Season 2026
Finland beat Czech Republic 4-1 in the quarter-finals of the 2026 IIHF World Championship to advance to the semi-finals in Zurich.
Match Videos
Match Analysis
AI SummaryFast start puts Finland in control
Finland needed just seven minutes to break the deadlock. Sakari Manninen opened the scoring at 06:32 of the first period, converting after a slick feed from Jesse Puljujarvi. The early goal settled any Finnish nerves and set the tone for the period.
Anton Lundell doubled the lead at 13:21, finishing off a well-worked move involving Lenni Hameenaho and Urho Vaakanainen. The 2-0 cushion after 20 minutes was exactly what head coach Antti Pennanen would have drawn up.
Helenius extends before Czechs strike back
The second period began with a hammer blow for the Czechs. Just 29 seconds in, Konsta Helenius — Finland's breakout star of the tournament — made it 3-0, assisted by NHL stars Aleksander Barkov and Mikael Granlund.
Czech Republic needed a response, and they got one at 29:14 when Filip Hronek unleashed a power-play rocket past Justus Annunen, with David Kubalik and Roman Cervenka providing the assists. The goal came during a frantic sequence where Finland's Olli Maatta had just taken a roughing penalty, giving the Czechs a two-man advantage they couldn't fully exploit — but Hronek made the most of it with the extra man still on the ice.
At 3-1 heading into the third period, the game was far from over.
Hameenaho seals it late
Czech Republic pushed hard in the final frame, out-shooting Finland and applying sustained pressure. However, Finland's defence held firm, anchored by a composed performance from Annunen in goal.
With just over four minutes remaining, Lenni Hameenaho put the game to bed. Sakari Manninen turned provider again, setting up the 19-year-old Finnish forward to fire home from close range at 54:31, restoring Finland's three-goal advantage.
Czechia pulled their goalkeeper in a desperate late bid, but Finland saw out the remaining minutes comfortably to secure a 4-1 victory.
Turning point
The key moment came early in the second period. Konsta Helenius's goal just 29 seconds after the resumption made it 3-0, forcing Czechia to chase the game. While Filip Hronek pulled one back on the power play, the damage was already done — Finland had established a lead that the Czechs never truly threatened to overhaul.
Player of the match: Sakari Manninen
The Finnish veteran was instrumental, scoring the opening goal and providing a crucial assist on Hameenaho's late clincher. Manninen's two-point night capped a performance full of poise and veteran craft.
What it means
Finland advance to the semi-finals where they will face one of Canada, Switzerland, or Norway in the medal rounds. For Czech Republic, the defeat ends their title defence after they won gold at the 2025 World Championship. The tournament hosts in Switzerland will continue without the reigning champions.
Match statistics
| Detail | Finland | Czech Republic |
|---|---|---|
| Final score | 4 | 1 |
| Period 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Period 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Period 3 | 1 | 0 |
Goal scorers
Finland: Sakari Manninen (07'), Anton Lundell (14'), Konsta Helenius (21'), Lenni Hameenaho (55') Czech Republic: Filip Hronek (30', PP)
The 2026 IIHF World Championship continues to deliver drama, and Finland have announced themselves as serious contenders for the gold medal.
Match Events
Key match events between Finland and Czech Republic — 5 goals and 6 cards recorded during the match.
U. Vaakanainen
Roughing
Roughing
M. Granlund
Charging
Roughing
R. Cervenka
High sticking
High sticking
Rivalry since 2014
Finland vs Czech Republic Head to Head Results· 50
Finland and Czech Republic have met 50 times — Finland won 25, Czech Republic won 25, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2014. A combined 242 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 4.84 per match (124 for the home side, 118 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 40 matches (80%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 46 games (92%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 3–7 in 2023.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 2 Jul 2026