The Montenegrin footballers returned from Iceland, it was not easy to "overcome" a five-hour flight after a lackluster edition, a defeat, overall - a bad start in the League of Nations.
Stevan Jovetić and his friends lost for the first time at the start of a competitive cycle, and this is the 12th start since 2008 and the first qualifiers for the WC.
In the previous 11, Montenegro started with victories (under Miodrag Radulović, for example, all three times: triumphs in Latvia and Bulgaria, i.e. against Romania at home) or draws, as for example under Ljubisa Tumbaković in Romania or Bulgaria.
If the "falcons" have not managed to qualify for the big competition, even with positive starts - wins or losses, skeptics will say - what to expect when they start with a loss?
Placement in a major competition, namely in the play-offs through the League of Nations, and through the "harder" qualifiers for the World Cup, is not something to be entered into with an imperative, especially now that Montenegro is in the company of a selection with a greater reputation and history of performances at WC or EP - Turkey, Wales and Iceland.
The overriding goal is - to be in the game, to be competitive, to show teeth and competitive charge, and everything else would come as a consequence.
In Iceland, however, Montenegro did not show any of that. Moreover, she lost in a naive, underdog way, with two identical goals conceded after a corner.
The Wales game is coming fast, too fast - perhaps just in time to put things right, but based on what was seen in Reykjavik, is there room for optimism?
"When you lose a game from two stoppages, it's certainly not good and we all have the feeling that we could have done much more," says goalkeeper Milan Mijatović after returning from the "land of fire and ice".
His teammates were not "heated" in the duels, but neither were they "cold-blooded" when it was necessary to give the final pass or send a shot.
Without seven footballers, of which at least five would be in the starting line-up, it was not expected that Montenegro would delight in the game and beat Iceland on a traditionally inhospitable field for any guest.
It was expected, however, that it would be tougher, more organized - simply put, that it would not concede two "same" goals from the break.
"I don't think the Icelanders were better than us in the field. They had the initiative, but as far as the chances are concerned, I think we were more dangerous. We still regret that we conceded two goals after a corner, but there's no whining now, let's get ready for Wales" , Mijatović added.
Montenegro was preparing for Icelandic interruptions, where they are the most dangerous, Robert Prosinečki said so after the match. It is obvious that these preparations were not done in the best way.
"We saw in the analyzes that they are very strong in stoppages. We tried to adjust, it turned out that we didn't hit properly. There were two stoppages and we conceded two goals. It is up to us to correct that and impose our style against Wales." , says the guard of the Future network.
On Monday, the island team will arrive in Nikšić, which is also good in breaks, and is also dangerous from the game. Bookmakers give the Welsh an advantage over our selection, even though they were defeated both times when they visited Montenegro. It was, of course, back in 2009 and 2010.
"These are island teams, they have the same style. Ours is to respond with a good game and try to get a favorable result," said Mijatović.
Again, Montenegro will be weakened, but - hope remains, perhaps at least a little less than in Iceland.
"We are having bad luck with injuries, we are missing five or six players, in Iceland we went out with a team that started together for the first time. But, despite that, despite the low temperature and the time difference, it would have been a different story if there had been no interruption." .
Wales played goalless at home to Turkey at the start.
"We saw that they had more players, that they dominated, tried, attacked...
The first game in Nikšić - and something completely new for Montenegro.
"I hope that the fans will fill the stadium to the last seat, that they will create a nice atmosphere and that they will help us to get a good result. We are playing in Nikšić for the first time, I think we can be dominant," Mijatović is clear.
Stefan Savić ready for Wales?
The professional staff of the Montenegrin national team hope that Stefan Savić will be ready to play against Wales, which would significantly strengthen our team's defense compared to the duel in Iceland.
The option for Savić to play the second game in the September cycle, admittedly, existed even before the trip to Iceland.
The Trabzonspor defender traveled to Podgorica for a training session, he did not travel to Reykjavik, and tomorrow it could be definitively clear whether he can play.
Another enigma or hope is Marko Vešović, who did not play in Iceland even though he was announced.
He felt pain in his calf during training, upon his return to Podgorica he underwent examinations, and in his case on Sunday it will be clearer whether he will play in Nikšić.
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