Playing for fame and the audience in SC Topolica, the Montenegrin handball players completed their successful campaign towards the European Championship with a victory, with another victory over Slovakia - 33:28.
Didier Dinar's team won the match in Finland for the EHF Euro qualification, their seventh consecutive and eighth overall participation in the biggest event on the Old Continent, but they were obliged to finish the final round triumphantly due to their ratings.
And they succeeded, and not only that - the "reds" showed that the absence due to serious injuries to "defense minister" Nebojša Simić and reserve Matović was not irreparable - Haris Suljević made 10 saves (3 40-meter) by halftime, while in the XNUMXth minute he came out to ovations after the fourth saved XNUMX-meter from five attempts by the Slovaks.
Left-handed "bomber" Risto Vujačić also shone, hitting all eight shots by halftime, eventually scoring 10 goals and only having his goal disallowed once due to a foul.
Danilo Mihaljević, who defended in the finish, also showed his mettle and must be seriously counted on.
Although the "reds" were weakened by the absence of numerous first-team players, they easily found solutions and only because of a relaxation in the 25th minute did Dinar have to call a timeout, as the Slovaks halved the deficit from eight to four goals.
Vujačić with 10 and Luka Radović with five goals led the "reds", Suljević with 13 saves and Mihaljević with seven.
Nebojša Simić, who had the season of his life before a serious knee injury in Melsungen, also cheered on his team in Bar.
"Thank you to the audience for the great atmosphere and we gave them the victory. The game was played as agreed and as we wanted and planned. All from working together. It's hard to compare us young people with Sima, but we will watch and die to make a contribution, we have continuity in big competitions.
Four wins, a draw and a loss to Hungary, for second place in the group. Dinar did not hide his satisfaction.
"You are a nation with a big heart and I like everything about Montenegro. From the start, I tried to make the rotation as large as possible, to include as many handball players as possible, and today it was clear that it was a good plan. We qualified and we will continue to work, but first we have to celebrate," the legendary Frenchman emphasized from the position of Montenegro's coach.
All participants of the 2026 European Handball Championship in Denmark, Norway and Sweden Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Slovenia, North Macedonia, Hungary, Montenegro, Iceland, Georgia, Spain, Serbia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Faroe Islands, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Portugal, Poland, Italy, Switzerland, Lithuania, Romania.
MONTENEGRO - SLOVAKIA 33:28 (18:13)
Bar - SC "Topolica". Attendance: 1.700. Referees: Bojić and Hurih (Austria). 2-pointers: Montenegro 1 (5), Slovakia 1 (4). Suspensions: Montenegro 8, Slovakia 38 minutes. Red card: Antl (Slovakia) in the XNUMXth minute.
Montenegro: Suljević (10 saves and four 1-meter shots), Mihaljević (seven saves), Bakić 1, Dragašević 4, M. Vujović 1 (1), Lazović, Čepić 4, Ćorsović 3, M. Radović, Kaluđerović 2, S. Vujović 10, Božović, Vujačić 5, L. Radović 2, Pelidija XNUMX.
Slovakia: Žernovič 1 (five saves), Konečni (five saves), Brijatka 3, Potisk 4 (1), Fenar, Kravčak, Prokop 6, Petržela 3, Antl 3, Dopjera 1, Štefina 2, Morvačik, Smetanka 5, Valent, Ratkovski.
Bonus video:
