Two matches - two wins and six points. The Montenegrin national football team has achieved what was its goal before the March cycle and the start of the World Cup qualifiers. Against the Faroe Islands (1:0) and Gibraltar (3:1), teams that came into the group from the fourth and fifth pots, respectively, Robert Prosinečki's team, more difficult than expected, achieved two important triumphs before the continuation of the qualifiers and the June showdown with the Czech Republic in Plzen.
After Saturday's victory over Gibraltar, the "brave falcons" last night, with a goal from Edvin Kuč in the 96th minute, demolished Farane near Bistrica and rounded off a golden day for Montenegrin football. A day that will be remembered for the historic success of the youth national team, which qualified for the European Championship in Tbilisi and became the first football team to qualify for a major competition.
Montenegro had a tough time winning over the Farani last night, scoring in the final seconds. It was Neftchi midfielder Edvin Kuč, who was in the right place at the right time. It was his fourth goal for the national team, in his 13th appearance.
Kuč entered the game at the start of the second half, as did Driton Camaj. Coach Robert Prosinecki made a good substitution, and the Neftchi and Kecskemet players did an excellent job.
"Every minute in the national team jersey means a lot. It's every player's dream to play for the national team. I'm overjoyed when I'm on the field and I always give my best. Maybe sometimes that's not enough, someone might see it differently, but I really enjoy being on the field in the national team jersey," Camaj said after the match.
The "Brave Falcons" reached the points that were written in advance, but which were hard won.
"We are happy. The game couldn't have been better on a difficult pitch. It wasn't easy to break through their defense, but in the end we succeeded. We need to do better, to analyze these two games, to correct our mistakes, because we need to be better against the Czech Republic," said the Hungarian Kecskemet player.
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The most important thing is that six points were won before the qualifications continue.
"It's always nice to win in the last minute, but it might have been nicer if we had opened the game on time, if we hadn't suffered until the end. But we won six points, and that's what we wanted. In a difficult environment, everything that happened in the previous days... The hardest thing is to win points that were planned in advance. Everyone thinks that Gibraltar and the Faroe Islands are teams that concede five, six, seven goals, but that's not the case anymore. Everyone is progressing. The French were disciplined, they didn't jump out, they played 5-4-1, hard, everyone was at the back. The pitch was desperate, all of that made it difficult. But we achieved what we wanted. I think we were better, we had good chances. I liked that we didn't give up, we kept our composure. The reward has arrived. Let's move on," said Stevan Jovetić after the match near Bistrica.
On June 6th, there is a match with the Czech Republic in Plzeň.
"I believe we will be complete in June, when Savić returns, we will be even better. There are a few more players who need to return and help us," said Jovetić.
Kuč's goal was preceded by an excellent job by Nikola Krstović.
"It was a fight from the first to the last minute. They defended with nine players, it was difficult. As I said in the announcement - it's better to play badly, as long as the points are there. The pitch was as it is. The most important thing is that we won the six points, which were booked," said the Lecce goal scorer.
Next are club commitments, and then the match against the Czechs in June.
"All that remains is for us to focus on the clubs, finish the season, and then try to surprise the Czech Republic away. We would be satisfied with a point there. We have a good group, everything suits us - a neighborhood derby. But let's finish the Czech Republic in June. I'm almost certain that we will fight until the end, at least for the play-offs. We have an extraordinary group of guys and that's what makes us special. We are all here for each other. What was not returned to us before is coming back to us," said Krstović.
Igor Vujačić also did a good job last night.
"We deserved the win, we opened the game well, we controlled it, but the pitch was not on our side, so we could have finished some chances better. We believed, fought until the end, in the end we scored a goal and deserved to win. They are a disciplined team, it was difficult to break through their block. But we were concentrated, in the end we scored a goal and deserved to celebrate," explained the Rubin defender.
Until the end of the qualifiers, there are two matches each against the Czech Republic and Croatia, as well as away matches against Gibraltar and the Faroe Islands.
"We won six points, the goal was achieved. The harder part is coming, with stronger national teams. But, as long as we come healthy and ready for the gathering, so that we are all there. I think we can play with everyone," concluded Vujačić.
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