The blue-yellows are at the bottom of the Group E table with two defeats, and they have a consolation match against Slovenia left.
Ukrainian National Hockey Team suffered a major defeat from Latvia in the final round of the qualification match for Olympic Games 2026.
The match, like all matches of the E-group, took place in Riga. The home team managed to achieve a double advantage in the score towards the end of the first period.
In the second 20 minutes, the blue-and-yellows were unable to turn the game around. Even worse: the Ukrainian team regularly found itself in a numerical minority, and the opponent used this advantage twice. In the 35th minute, Miks Indrašis brought the score to a hopeless 0:5. Uvis Janis Balinskis recorded three assists.
All that Dmitry Khristich’s team managed to do in the third period was to break the deadlock and avoid a dry defeat. The author of the only Ukrainian goal was Daniil Trakht.
Let us recall that earlier the blue-yellows lost to the French team with a score of 2:7. The day after tomorrow, on September 1, Ukraine will play the last match of this stage – against Slovenia. This will be a duel for third place in the quartet. The only direct ticket to the hockey tournament of the 2026 Olympic Games will be played in a face-to-face duel between Latvia and France.
- Hockey. 2026 Olympic Games Qualification. Fourth Stage. Group E
Ukraine – Latvia — 1:5 (0:2, 0:3, 1:0)
Washers: 0:1 — Lochmelis (Indrasis), 15:03, 0:2 — Ro. Bukarts (Dzierkals, Balinskis), 0:3 — Egle (Daugavinsh, Balinskis — big), 29:22, 0:4 — Ri. Bukarts (Balinskis — big), 32:50, 0:5 — Indrasis (Ri. Bukarts, Jaksh) — 34:28, 1:5 — Trakht (Zakharov), 48:27.
Source: Sportarena
I’m Emma Smith, a dedicated journalist and avid storyteller. I have been writing for news websites for the past 5 years, reporting on hockey news and delivering in-depth analysis of the sport. In my current role as Author at Athletistic, I write about hockey events from around the world to keep followers up-to-date with what’s happening in the sport.
