The future is one step away from a point

"Morača" fell, it was won by the club that caused the most grief in the temple of Montenegrin women's handball to Budućnost and its fans - the women from Podgorica lost to Ferencvaros 4:24 in the derby of the 23th round of the main stage of the Champions League.

Dragan Adžić's young team won four times this season in front of their fans, they used that advantage, but they didn't have it tonight. The Hungarian women were cheered on by 180 ardent supporters, whose song rang out the entire time and perhaps that was the reason, even though the home crowd also woke up at the finish line...

This defeat, however, should not stop the "blues" on their way to the quarter-finals, because Bittheim or Thiringer would have to win at least five points in the next three matches, and the big question is whether they have the quality for that.

It is sad, however, that a great game against a much better and more experienced team was not rewarded with even a draw. And so little was missing - if Đurđina Jauković or Kristina Laslo had hit a seven-pointer, if Darla Zokebi de Paula's several balls through her hands did not reach the net, if Adžić's girls had at least been fresh in the finish...

However, it was not even logical for them to have it, because the injury of Ema Ramusović and the lack of readiness of Đurđina Malović were an insurmountable obstacle against a team with the most top defenders in Europe.

The first half was completely different from the one four weeks earlier in Dabas. Buducnost played significantly more aggressively in defense, rather than fluttering and confident in attack, which is why it could not even gain a noticeable difference.

Twice in a row, she came to plus two (8:6 and 9:7), but for six and a half minutes she did not score a goal, so Ferencvaros, on the wings of the excellent young defender Noemi Hafre, turned it around to 10:9.

It was 12:12 at the break, and in the 48th minute, Ferencvároš would reach a two-point difference for the first time (20:18). An extremely high-spirited Milena Raičević brought things back to zero with two quick goals, Itana Grbić then did it twice, but it was evident that the "blues" lacked freshness in attack, as they were too worn out in defense against the backs who changed like on tape.

In her own way, Jauković reduced the score to 40:24 two minutes and 23 seconds before the end, but in the last two attacks there was no idea how to break through the Hungarian wall.

The women from Podgorica had 30 seconds for the final attack, but Adžić had no time-out left. He had to look for it in the 57th minute, with the score 22:24, because his girls could not stand on their feet from the merciless fight. The more experienced opponents took advantage of that, made several fouls, so all that was left was for the 21-year-old Nikšić woman to try from the nine after the time expired. The miracle didn't happen...

Buducnost - Ferencvaros 23:24 (12:12)

Podgorica - Hall "Morača". Spectators: 2.600. Referees: Zotin and Volodkov (Russia). Sevens: Buducnost 8 (4), Ferencvaros 2 (1). Suspensions: Buducnost 2, Ferencvaros 8 minutes.

Future: ZOKEBI DE PAULA (nine saves and seven goals), Marinović, Batinović, UJKIĆ 3, Konatar, JAUKOVIĆ 5 (1), PLETIKOSIC, Laslo 1 (1), Malović, Premović 1, BRNOVIĆ 3, Bulatović, Pavićević, Vukčević, RAIČEVIĆ 8 (2), GRBIĆ 2.

Ferencvaros: Sikora, BIRO (nine saves and two sevens), ŠACL 2, Sučanski 2, Sekeres, Mesaros, Van der Heyden 2, Marton 2, LUKAČ 4, SNELDER, PENA 4 (1), HAFRA 4, Faluvegi, Jovanović 1, KOVAČIČ 3, Hornjak.