Historic result: Montenegro's women's volleyball team qualified for the European Championship for the first time

A great, historic result for Montenegrin volleyball - the Montenegrin women's national team tonight qualified for the European Championship for the first time in history.

Our national team defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 5:3 (0:26, 24:25, 16:26) away from home in the 24th round of qualifying group D and made history in women's volleyball.

After five rounds, Montenegro is in first place with seven points, while Latvia is in second with six. The winners of the seven qualifying groups, as well as the five best second-placed teams, will qualify for the championship. With this triumph, Montenegro has secured a place among the five best second-placed teams from the seven qualifying groups. On Sunday in Kolašin, against Latvia, the volleyball team will decide the first place in the group.

Montenegro led 4:1 in the first set, and then a turnaround occurred. BiH tied four points, led 5:4, then made a 6:0 run and reached a big 13:7.

Three more times the home team had a plus six (15:9, 16:10 and 18:12), and then our team woke up and approached first to 21:20, and then turned it around - 23:20. Then the first set was decided on the difference, in the end Montenegro celebrated.

In the second set, it was uncertain only at the start, until the score was 7:7, when the game was point for point. Then Montenegro made a run, reaching 10:7, and after five consecutive points, even up to plus six - 16:10.

That was enough for Jovo Caković's team to calmly end the second set.

In the third set, Montenegro had a plus three (12:9), and the home team managed to turn the game around and take the lead - 16:14. Montenegro responded, turning the game around 19:17, but another turnaround and response from BiH followed - first 20:19, and then 22:20. Montenegro tied the game (22:22), and then achieved a great victory.

Captain Nikoleta Perović led the team with a phenomenal 24 points. She was accompanied by middle blockers – Saška Đurović with eight points and Mina Dragović with four, while Simona Petranović added five points. For the home team, the most efficient was Jovana Biberdžić with 13 points.

The 2026 European Championship will be held in Azerbaijan, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Turkey.

Turkey is defending the title.

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MONTENEGRO 0:3 (24:26, 16:25, 24:26)

Gorazde – SC “Mirsad Hurić”. Spectators: 1550. Judges: Nurper Orzbar (Turkey) and Alen Mateizer (Romania).

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Paradžik 6, Zekić, Isanović 12, Marković, Brašnić (libero), Glibić, Stevanović 1, Lasić 8, Music (libero), Biberdžić 13, Djukić, Vukoje, Starhonić, Ambulija 6.

Coach: Danilo Pejović.

Montenegro: Đurović 8, Tvrdišić, Perović 24, Cenović (libero), Šušić 1, Čavić 2, Madžgalj, Petranović 5, Vukčević, Rakoćević, Popović, Budrak, Krunić (libero), Dragović 4.

Coach: Jovo Caković.