Three games at the European Championship, zero points, 121 goals conceded - and that was from a team that was known for its solid defense, led from the bench by one of the best defenders of all time.
However, a playing career is one thing, and a coaching career is another, and Didije Dinar obviously brought nothing new to the Montenegrin handball team, so the "lions" experienced one of the greatest embarrassments in history in Oslo.
Switzerland put an end to the nightmare, with an unreal victory by 17 goals (43:26), sending Montenegro out of the EHF Euro, but more importantly, sending them into the qualifiers for the next World Cup.
The "Lions" will first have to go through the second round of qualifiers against Finland to reach the World Cup, and only then, if they win, will they go to the play-offs, which a victory over Switzerland could have brought them. Although after everything seen in the "Unity Arena", a victory in that match even sounds frivolous.
After all, the question is whether Dinar deserved to have our national team travel to Germany with him. Of course, the legendary Frenchman is not the only one to blame, playing in the tournament and above all in the match against Switzerland serves as an honor to all who have worn the jersey of Montenegro. And this after many beautiful moments that the Montenegrin handball players have brought to our country.
Everything that was shown in the matches with Slovenia and the Faroe Islands in this tournament, as well as the test match with Bosnia and Herzegovina (the Lions conceded 37 goals), was visible from the first minute of the duel with Switzerland.
Lenny Rubin, Luka Siegrist and his teammates passed through our defense, which is symbolically as hollow as Swiss cheese, they sifted from all positions, and Dinar's team tried to stay in the match with their attacking play.
Stefan Čavor, Branko and Stevan Vujović scored mostly with shots from nine meters, but that wasn't enough, so Switzerland maintained the lead, and at the end of the first half they had a huge plus seven (22:15).
If anyone expected a reaction later on, they were once again brought back to reality. During the first ten minutes, Switzerland's net did not shake, and Andi Šmid's team went to an unreal 29:16. If it had not been for Branko Vujović's goals towards the end of the game, the question is whether minus 17 would have been the final score.
In the end, the championship Montenegro has behind it is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that it helped Switzerland improve their goal difference, so now any victory for Slovenia over the Faroe Islands will take the "sidekicks" into the main round.
MONTENEGRO - SWITZERLAND 26:43 (16:22)
Oslo - "Unity Arena". Attendance: 2.579. Referees: Alvarez and Bustamante (Spain). 7-pointers: Montenegro 1, Switzerland 5 (4). Suspensions: Montenegro two minutes.
Montenegro: Suljević (three saves), Mijušković (seven saves and a 7-meter shot), F. Vujović 1, M. Vujović 2 (1), Čavor 5, Čepić 1, Ćorsović 3, B. Vujović 9, M. Radović 1, Kaluđerović, S. Vujović 3, L. Vujović, Pelidija, Bakić, L. Radović, Borozan 1.
Switzerland: Portner (five saves), Seravali (13 saves), Majster 1, Rubin 10, M. Cender 3, Elen 1, Kuzio, Rotlisberger 1, Maros 3, Štenerts 8, Laube 2, Zigrist 10, S. Cender 4 (4), Vileke, Leopold, Ben Romdane.
Only one word can describe Montenegro's game - disgrace. Switzerland goes 43:25.
Switzerland is in a trance, the humiliation of Montenegro continues - Montenegro's rival is up 17 (42:25).
Currently, only Branko Vujović is scoring for Montenegro, but even that doesn't bother the Swiss much, who lead 38:24 with eight and a half minutes left.
And a new maximum - Switzerland is at plus 15 (37:22)
New maximum advantage for Switzerland - 34:20.
Montenegro's first goal in the second half came in the 10th minute - scored by Branko Vujović (29:17).
Switzerland is going and at an unreal 29:16 - Montenegro is currently serving its rival, who is far from a world power, to improve their goal difference and is rushing to plus 16 which, with a victory by Slovenia over the Faroe Islands, would take this Alpine team into the main round.
The Lions' disaster continues - Switzerland leads 27:16. Montenegro is scoreless in the second half, and seven and a half minutes have passed.
Unreal ten goal difference in favor of Switzerland - Stenaerts scores for 26:16.
The second half was opened by Mijušković's defense, who saved Samuel Cender's seven-meter shot, but even that did not wake up the "lions" - two more goals from Switzerland for an eight-goal difference (25:16).
Another nice goal by Stevan Vujović only mitigated Switzerland's big advantage - the "lions" are down six points (22:16).
Since the beginning of the EHF Euro, Montenegro's defense has been non-existent, so the result from Oslo is not surprising.
A minute before the break, Switzerland has a huge 22:15.
There is also a minus six for the "Lions" (21:15) - Čorsović missed a shot after which Manuel Cender scored.
Switzerland goes up five again (20:15) - Zigrist makes no mistake.
A period of play when the game is practically goal for goal - Stevan Vujović reduced it to 16:13, but Zigrist's goal quickly arrived for plus four.
The reaction of the "Lions" - goals from Čavor, Stevan Vujović and Miloš Vujović from the 7-meter mark. Switzerland now leads 14:11.
Now Andy Schmidt calls a timeout.
Branko Vujović's goal made it four points behind (12:8), followed by Suljević's defense, and Miloš Vujović missed the opportunity to further reduce the score, hitting the crossbar after a zeppelin.
14 and a half minutes have passed, Montenegro is down five points (12:7), the defense is non-existent, the attack is increasingly predictable - Dinar calls a timeout.
Suljević replaces Mijušković in goal, and Pelidija is also in the game.
Luka Maros also scored for 10:5, after which Montenegro finally scored - Borozan scored.
Bonus video:
