Optimism without cover - the "lions" helplessly watched the "experts" at work

From the special reporter "Vijesti"

We are ready to go one step higher, we dream of the quarter-finals, we can play with everyone... These and similar sentences have often passed through the mouths of Montenegrin handball players since the day they started preparing for the 28th World Championship, even though they were aware that, yes would enter the knockout phase, they would have to leave behind at least one giant of world handball - Spain or France.

They reduced their chances by losing to "Ispanos" on the very first day of competition in Krakow (30:25), and tonight reduced them to the domain of theory, because they were completely powerless against the "experts" (35:24).

The theory still exists, but it seems much more unrealistic than what the "lions" promised before coming to Poland, because Spain would have to lose against Slovenia and France, and for Montenegro to defeat Poland on Friday, and then "the country" in Sunday and has the best mutual goal difference in the round with the Slovenians and the Spaniards. And already in that eventual round at minus five...

In the first phase of the championship organized by Poland and Sweden, the main problem in the game of Zoran Roganović's team was the defense. In three games, 94 goals were conceded, but this was somewhat masked by an efficient attack, in which Branko and Miloš Vujović led the way and were in the Top 5 scorers after three rounds.

But tonight there was no escape - the defense was non-existent, and on the other side, the rampart of the powerful French and the man who seemed to have a hundred hands, Vincent Gerard, could often not break through.

The experienced goalkeeper, who will play for Kiel at the age of 37, was especially focused on the best players of the "lions".

Miloš Vujović was saved by a zicer and two seven-pointers in the opening 15 minutes and practically "extinguished" the best left wing of the previous European Championship, and even Branko could not find a way to his net, because he shot 1-6 in the 1st half.

Miloš Božović, who entered the game in the middle of the 1st half and with four goals, the last five seconds before the end, made sure that Montenegro went to rest with a more than acceptable minus three (16:13). .

At that time, every Montenegrin fan probably thought that a miracle was possible if the namesakes worked, but Roganović decided to give Aleksandar Bakić and Risto Vujačić a chance at the start, who helped Božović to finish the 1st half well.

However, in the first 80 seconds, Žerar saved all three shots, reached level 13 and signaled the end of the excitement.

To make matters worse, the center of the defense of the "lions" did not exist, as evidenced by the astonishing fact that France scored 35 goals, and only one from the wing. From a single shot!

Due to the holes in the defense, Nebojša Simić was powerless, he lost motivation over time, and his deputy Nikola Matović prevented a complete debacle with several saves, because the French did not give up and played to the maximum until the end.

Everyone wanted to prove themselves to coach Guillaume Gilles, that's why no one even thought of "pulling the trigger"...

Montenegro, for whom Miodrag Ćorsović (replaced the injured Nemanja Grbović) made his debut in major competitions tonight and scored a goal, will play against Poland on Friday (20.30:XNUMX p.m.).

The home team was left with no theoretical chance to reach the quarter-finals after losing to Spain in front of 7.000 fans (27:23), but they will try to make up for three failures and take over Vasko Ševaljević and his friends in the 4th place in the group I table.

FRANCE - MONTENEGRO 35:24 (16:13)

Krakow - "Tauron Arena". Viewers: 2.411. Judges: Kurtagić and Vetervik (Sweden). Sevens: France 5 (5), Montenegro 5 (1). Suspensions: France 6, Montenegro 8 minutes.

France: ŽERAR (12 saves and three seven-pointers), Desbone 1 (two saves and seven-pointer), LEN 3, REMILI 2, Lagarde, Prandi 2, Richardson 10 (4), Turna 1, N. Karabatić 2, MAE 3 (1) , GREBIJ 1, L. Karabatić, FABREGAS 3, Port 1, Nai 3, Brije 3.

Montenegro: Matović (four saves and seven goals), SIMIĆ (six saves), Bakić 3, M. VUJOVIĆ, Lazović 2, ČEPIĆ 1, Ćorsović 1, B. VUJOVIĆ 3, RADOVIĆ 3 (1), Kaluđerović, S. Vujović, Ševaljević, Božović 6, Lasica 1, Vujačić 1, ANĐELIĆ 3.

Reporting made possible by Lob