The fans of Montenegro showed once again that they are above the chauvinism that still lives in this region, they greeted the Croatian anthem with applause, showed respect and the great Luka Modric, but there was no respect from the Montenegrins on the field towards one of the strongest national teams in the world.
Montenegro did not ultimately succeed in overthrowing the great, was defeated 3:2 after leading 2:0, but everything that was missing from the World Cup qualifiers so far was on a rainy Podgorica night against Croatia.
She was fanatically combative, but she also played football - and 70 minutes of very good football. And in the end she deserved more than defeat.
Let all of this be a harbinger of better days to come, not just a moment of brilliance that can be deceptive, like the triumph over Turkey in the last cycle.
There was almost nothing in Podgorica since the announced storm, but the action on the pitch was a whirlwind, especially from the Montenegrin players. Croatia could have shocked everyone in the 2nd minute after a great chance Igor Matanović, but the "falcons" immediately caught the rhythm.
Just a minute later, the stadium under Gorica "boiled" for the first time. Duje aleta-Car is under pressure Milutin Osmajić made a mistake, and our striker rushed towards the goal like a "train" - he transferred the speed and strength from the English fields to the Podgorica ones and saved the Dominika Livaković it was not.
The idea was seen. Mirko Vučinić that the "falcons" are looking for a chance even after a counterattack, and after one killer shot he Stevan jovetić, but Livaković was successful this time.
While horrible chauvinistic chants were heard from the Croatian fans' side, Montenegro responded with the beauty of football. Nikola Krstović has masterfully turned Josipa Šutala, and then scored a phenomenal goal from 18 meters. A big 2:0 against the giants after 17 minutes was on the scoreboard of our largest stadium.
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Croatia tried to impose itself, but mostly looked harmless in the first half, and when the boys Zlatko Dalić They failed to create a goal chance, it came from the penalty spot. Slobodan Rubežić carelessly and sharply slipped, hooked the ball, but also Kristijan Jakić - after VAR assistance Umut Meller awarded a penalty, and it was safe in the 37th minute Ivan Perisic.
Montenegro played well for about twenty minutes of the second half, they wanted to play, they had two great chances through Krstović (on the goalpost) and Jovetić after a cross. Marko Perović, but Croatia played better when they entered Andrej Kramaric and Modric.
It was after a shot by the Hoffenheim striker that the ball bounced off the post and reached Jakić, who had no difficulty equalizing in the 73rd minute (2:2).
The fatigue of the "falcons" was evident at those moments, and Vučinić's substitutions didn't help either, so Croatia reached a turning point towards the end - after Perović's mistake, he scored Nikola Vlasic in the 87th minute (3:2).
Montenegro showed a reaction then too, they could have equalized in stoppage time, it would have been deserved, but Milan Vukotić he didn't score from an excellent position after a good ball from Perović.
The applause from the fans at the end perhaps best speaks to the impression Montenegro left.
MONTENEGRO - CROATIA 2:3
Podgorica - Stadium under Gorica. Attendance: 4.673. Referee: Umut Meler (Turkey). Scorers: Osmajić in 3, Krstović in 17 for Montenegro, Perišić in 37 from the penalty spot, Jakić in 73, and Vlašić in 87 for Croatia. Yellow cards: Lončar, Rubežić, Osmajić (Montenegro), Mario Pašalić (Croatia).
Montenegro: Nikić, Vešović (from 78. Šipčić), Rubežić (from 46. Perović), Tući, Marušić, Bulatović (from 78. Brnović), Lončar (from 62. Adžić), Janković, Jovetić (from 62. Vukotic), Osmajić, Krstović.
Croatia: Livaković, Jakić, Šutalo, Ćaleta-Car (from 46. Pongračić), Gvardiol (from 46. Stanišić), Moro, Mario Pašalić, Vlašić, Perišić (from 78. Modrić), Ivanović (from 55. Kramarić). Matanović (from 59. Musa).
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