Two games, two defeats, ahead of two October visits to the best-ranked teams in the group, Turkey and Wales - it seems, a beaten path to last place and relegation from the B League of Nations. This is how things are for Montenegro after the September start of the fourth edition of the youngest UEFA national team competition.
It is, however, nothing terrible - far from it. The Falcons have not been relegated so far, they have only stayed or progressed (in 2020 they moved from League C to League B).
And how did Montenegro lose two matches?
Against Iceland, in Reykjavik, with two goals conceded after a corner, almost in an identical manner. Against Wales in Nikšić, with two goals conceded in the first three minutes.
It happens that you concede a goal from the break - no big deal, that's football, it also happens that you take the ball out of the net in the first minute. When, however, you concede another in the same way, when you get two goals in the net from the first two attacks of the match: then it is not by chance. And it happens, obviously, for a reason.
At the competitive start of Robert Prosinečki, Montenegro failed in terms of firmness and competitive maturity. Moreover, it turned out to be naive, regardless of the injuries and the lack of five or six players who would probably be in the starting line-up. Absences may be one of the reasons for the lack of better results, but they are not an excuse for two goals conceded from corners or 0:2 after two minutes and 40 seconds of play.
Another Croatian legend - Zlatko Kranjčar - had a completely different start on the Montenegrin bench, even though a lot of time had passed, even 14 years. His Montenegrin was adorned with firmness, competitive maturity ("it is important that I have someone to score a goal, and the four in defense can always work together", said Cico). Prosinečki, at least in the latter, has not succeeded so far.
Everything else, including the fanatical fight in the remaining 87 minutes, the review of the chances created, and even the moves for the TV highlights (Jovetić's cross from the center), seem like a weak consolation, even though they are brave. It proved that Montenegro can play football.
Not, however, to play in order to "qualify for the World Cup". If there were some illusions even before the start of this year's League of Nations, then the corners in Iceland and the murderous start of the Welsh definitely shattered them. And that is the only "positive" thing about the defeats in Reykjavik and Nikšić, although, of course, there can hardly be anything positive in defeats.
The cycle for the 2026 World Cup - and the League of Nations, and the qualifiers, which begin in March next year - Montenegro must use to try to create a team for the qualification cycle for Euro 2028. The problem is that before the start of this cycle, it was only partially thought about, or it wasn't in the foreground (Prosinečki did start to call some of the players from the new, talented wave, Vasilije Adžić was injured), and that's why the defeats hurt and shake. But it's never too late, two September defeats can be useful, if lessons are learned.
Basically, nothing terrible happened - the "falcons" lost to teams with a higher reputation and a close history of appearances in major competitions.
Relieved, rejuvenated, Montenegro should play the remaining four matches in the League of Nations, thinking about the future, preparing for the next cycle and cycles: if in addition it "radiates" energy as in the other 87 minutes of the duel with the Welsh in Nikšić, and if in addition to everything that and win some points, the benefit will be great.
Not now, but in two years: in the qualification cycle for the EP, Montenegro will have two chances to qualify for the Euros - through, probably, the much easier C League of Nations, and then through the qualifications. From which "half of Europe" (24 teams) goes to the finals, in contrast to the difficult World Cup qualifications, which even the superpower, Italy, did not pass the last two times.
Bonus video:
