The pioneer football team of Montenegro played yesterday in Podgorica to a draw (2:2) with Albania in the first of two friendly matches.
After good chances by Aleksa Caušević and Nikola Vukoj, the visitors took the lead with a counterattack goal by Hadži Rena in the 23rd minute. Luka Vušurović equalized in the 31st minute, and by the end of the half, Montenegro could score on three more occasions.
Albania took a new lead in the 50th minute, again through Rena. The final result was set by Vukoje from the penalty spot in the 79th minute.
"Two different halves, where in the first of five hundred percent opportunities to score a goal, we had to take advantage of at least three situations, one of which was into an empty net. We started the match well, pressing hard in the opponent's half, from which we created chances. But we made the same mistakes as in the last match in Bulgaria, where we left too much space between the team's lines. We conceded the first goal from our players' offensive breaks. We quickly got back into the game, scoring a goal after well-executed pressing and the ball being taken away," selector Minja Ljumović told the Association's website.
The next duel will be played tomorrow (16) in Shkodër.
"In the rest, we were not at the level of the game from the first part, as far as offensive details and creating opportunities to score a goal. We had to come back to the match from a deficit again, after our mistake in the back line of the team. In the end, when we didn't take advantage a large number of opportunities and where we chased a goal minus twice, this draw came in handy," Ljumović said.
Bonus video:
