France did not play a perfect match, it was far from that, it offered itself to Montenegro, but with the beginner's mistakes that the "lionesses" made in the "Phoenix Arena" it would hardly have fallen to a much more modest rival than the world champion.
Montenegrin handball players, after three victories in the first stage, suffered their second defeat in the main round of the European Championship - France won 31:23 in Debrecen.
What hurts more than the defeat is the fact that the "lionesses" already said goodbye to their dreams of a medal after the second round of the second phase, since they are only held in the game for Vienna and the semi-finals by the "crazy" theory, according to which Hungary in the remaining three matches would not dare to win more than a point... Of course, Montenegro also defeats Poland and Sweden.
It is much more realistic that Milena Raičević and her friends are fighting for the third position in the group and that they are going to the Austrian capital to play the match for 5th place.
Perhaps after the great first phase, hopes have risen, but the reality is that the "Lioness" are far from France and Hungary, especially with the number of errors in the attack as there were during the last two days in Debrecen.
Our handball players started with mistakes from the beginning, so France quickly took a 3:0 lead on the wings of Estelle Nze Minko. A real reaction followed, the "lionesses" got close to 4:3 through Itana Grbić, Tatjana Brnović and Đurđina Jauković, had opportunities to equalize, but...
Missed shots and new mistakes quickly led Sebastien Gardiu's team to a big plus seven - the scoreboard showed 20:11 in the 4th minute.
Tonight, the great Ivona Pavićević, with three consecutive goals, reduced the big difference before the break to 15:11, and later on, there were chances that our national team would completely return to the match.
The "lionesses" approached at 18:14, at that moment they stopped the attacks of France and had several opportunities to reduce the difference to minus three, but they missed XNUMX-pointers and XNUMX-pointers (Lora Gloze saved as many as four) and it was then clear how the game would end. ..
By the end, somehow and as expected, everything fell apart, so after 60 minutes, France even celebrated convincingly...
Montenegro will play an irregular match against Poland on Sunday at 15.30:XNUMX p.m.
FRANCE - MONTENEGRO 31:23 (15:11)
Debrecen - "Phoenix Arena". Viewers: 2.041. Judges: Braset and Sundet (Norway). Sevens: France 4 (2), Montenegro 7 (3). Exclusions: France 12, Montenegro 6 minutes. Red card: Kanor (France) in the 24th minute.
France: Gloze (seven saves and four sevens), Sako (three saves), Coatanea 2, Valentini 4, Zadi 7 (1), Flip, Kanor 1, Horacek 2 (1), Lasurs 1, Fopa 2, Nze Minko 5, Ondono, Granije 2, Bukkit, Granvo 4, Dipua 1.
Montenegro: Rajčić (two saves and seven goals), Atingre (five saves and seven goals), Batinović, Jauković 2, Pletikosić 2, Godeč, Mugoša 3 (3), J. Vukčević, Ivanović 1, Brnović 3, Bulatović, Džaferović 1, Tatar 2, Raičević, Pavićević 6, Grbić 3.
The end of the torture in Debrecen - the defeat of Montenegro by France 31:23 and farewell to dreams of the semi-finals.
France does the job until the end, with three minutes to go, Montenegro loses 28:20.
France maintains a big advantage, the lionesses are not helped by the good play of Ivona Pavićević, who has scored five goals so far - before the last ten minutes, the world champion has plus seven (24:17).
The world champion goes to plus six - new goal by Lucy Granija (20:14).
France offered for a long time, but now it's going to plus five - Valentini scored from the wing (19:14)
Another chance for minus three was missed - Nina Bulatović does not use the zicer.
Another seven-pointer and a new defense by Lora Gloza - the fourth penalty that was not used by our selection, now Đurđina Jauković was inaccurate.
The "lionesses" defended well the too long attack of France, after which Jelena Vukčević masterfully won the seven-pointer, but this time Dijana Mugoša did not overcome Lora Gloze. Once again, Montenegro could be minus three... 18:14 left.
However, the "lionesses" did not give up - Đurđina Jauković scored from the pivot position for 18:14.
Nothing new in Debrecen - another mistake in the attack, followed by a counter goal by Poleta Fopa (17:12).
New seven-pointer for France and exclusion of Đina Jauković (second in the match) - this time Grace Zadi is not wrong. The first goal of the French woman after almost five minutes.
Montenegro's defense was excellent at the start of the second half, France has been scoreless for more than four minutes, and Marina Rajčić saved a penalty from Luci Granija.
Everything seems to be in vain as the Lionesses continue to make rookie mistakes in attack.
The second half opens with a goal by Montenegro from a seven-pointer, which was scored by Dijana Mugoša and won by Đurđina Jauković - the "lionesses" are at minus three.
The first half is over - Montenegro loses to France 30:15 after 11 minutes.
A minus that is even acceptable when it is known that Suzana Lazović's team lost 20:11 in the 4th minute after a goal by Lucy Granija.
Montenegro was able to go as low as minus three in the finish, but Đurđina Jauković and her friends were once again confused in the attack.
Ivona Pavićević is in a great rhythm - our left wing scores three goals in a row, the "lionesses" are minus four (20:15) one minute and 11 seconds before halftime.
Orlan Kanor earned a red card after a rough foul on Tatjana Brnović.
At the moment, the attack is going best through pivot Tatjana Brnović - the handball player of Krima reduced the score to 12:7, but Orlan Kanor quickly retaliated on the other side.
Tanja Ivanović scored and ended the empty run of the "lionesses", after that Tatjana Brnović once again won a seven-pointer - this time it was Dijana Mugoša who was accurate. Montenegro slightly reduced the big difference (11:6).
Bonus video:
