The great desire was there again, this time - unlike the unfortunate barrage matches with Italy - a well-deserved victory arrived, but there were still some bad things that the new coach will have to fix as time goes on.
The Montenegrin handball players triumphantly opened a new era with the legendary Didier Dinar on the bench, in the great atmosphere of the "Bemax Arena" they defeated Finland (29:28) and took the first and important step towards the European Championship in 2026.
If they beat Slovakia in Košice in four days, they will be one step away from the Euros organized by Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and after that the new coach will have more time to make his mark.
Didije Dinar is a symbol of handball defense, and the first match on the bench of Montenegro showed him that he still has a lot of work to do with the "lions" in order to make that segment of the game a trademark of the selection he leads. The question is in which direction the match would have gone if Nebojsa Simić, who made 15 saves, was not once again great in goal.
After an equal ten minutes in the "Bemax Arena", the first escape was made by Dinar's boys on the wings of the defenders - Radojica Čepić and Branko Vujović twice (once from the counter) led the "lions" to 8:5.
All this did not disturb the Finns (8:7), just like later when Montenegro would "unstick" several times to plus four, so at 16:12 for our selection in the finish series with 3:0, they were completely back in the game. and Simić saved plus one (16:15) before the break with a save in the last second.
He changed Dinar often both in defense and in attack, and what could have pleased him in that period was the play of Čepić, who scored five goals without a miss (remained 7% 7-XNUMX until the end), as well as the combativeness of his players.
The same scenario was seen in the rest, the "lions" were in the lead, and the team from the north of Europe did not give up, after another goal by Branko Vujović, Montenegro once again had plus four - 26:22, in the 50th minute.
In those moments, Bakić interrupted the attack of the Finns, and Dinar showed how much it all means to him by celebrating next to the bench...
However, it could not be without drama.
Nikola Matović took down a seven-pointer from Knapinen, on the other side, Branko Vujović did not use it, so in the last two minutes, Montenegro entered with 27:26.
However, Vasilij Kaluđerović's bomb and another goal by Branko practically settled the match (29:26)...
MONTENEGRO - FINLAND 29:28 (16:15)
Podgorica - "Bemax Arena". Spectators: 2.200. Referees: Erdogan and Ozdeniz (Turkey). Sevens: Montenegro 5 (3), Finland 1 (0). Suspensions: Montenegro 6, Finland 6 minutes.
Montenegro: Matović (seven goals), Simić (15 saves), Bakić 2, Dragašević, M. Vujović 4 (2), Lazović 1, Čepić 7, Ćorsović, B. Vujović 7 (1), M. Radović 1, Kaluđerović 3 , S. Vujović 1, Vujačić, L. Radović 1, L. Vujović, Borozan 2.
Finland: Klama (sedmerac), Roslander (15 odbrana i sedmerac), Lindberg 3, Kankanpo 1, Henrikson 1, Ekman 1, Knapinen, Grenmark, Hjalmarson 2, Sirjolo 1, R. Granlund 2, M. Granlund 4, Vainionpo 7, Lajne 6, Karlson, Nordlund.
Bonus video:
