After three consecutive European Championships, Montenegrin volleyball players will not play at the continental competition of the best, this was known even before tonight's duel with the Norwegians, but Ivica Jevtić's boys still had enough motivation, knowledge and energy to finish the qualifying cycle with a victory - 3:1, in sets 30:28, 25:17, 16:25, 25:18.
Jevtić emphasized the importance of the duel in Kolašin despite the lack of a competitive component - for the team to finish this action in a good mood, to send some kind of positive announcement before the next qualifiers and, ultimately, to end the cycle with at least one victory, after three smooth defeats.
That's what happened, although the match meant much more competitively to the Scandinavians, who were catching the last train to the European Championship, in the end they failed to catch it, finishing as the worst of the seven second-placed teams.
Our guys played a great match, they "broken" the Norwegians' reception with their serve. The first set, which was played on a difference, was decisive - when Vukašin Cimbaljević took Montenegro to 30:28 with two missiles, everything was easier in the rest, the home team had "air" and was able to sleep off one set, and in the end they brought the duel to an end without any problems...
In the first match for the A team in front of the home crowd, Vukašin Cimbaljević scored 23 points. Corrector Đorđe Jovović was also at a great level with 20, while Nemanja Peruničić also scored in double figures with 12 points.
Blockers Nikola Đurović and Matija Ćinćur contributed to the victory with seven and six points, respectively. Norway's best point guard was Kavli with 17 points.
Only the Czech Republic, as the winner with all victories, advanced from our group. The European Championship will be played from September 9 to 27, 2026 in Italy, Finland, Bulgaria and Romania.
MONTENEGRO – NORWAY 3:1 (30:28, 25:17; 16:25, 25:18)
Kolasin - SC “Kolašin”. Spectators: 350. Judges: Bernard Valentar (Slovenia) and Dejan Rogić (Serbia).
Montenegro: Ćinćur 6, Peruničić 12, Cimbaljević 23, M. Joksimović, A. Joksimović (libero), V. Milenković, R. Milenković 3, Lečić, Lojić, Jovović 20, Rovčanin (libero), Đurović 7, Pavicevic 1, Stanojević. Coach: Ivica Jevtić.
Norway: S. Olsen, Espleland, Estvik 8, Loftesnes 7, Fasteland 8, Hetervik, Tele 3, Sunde 2, E. Olsen (libero), Kalstad 8, Bergum (libero), Kavli 17, Bjeland. Coach: Lukaš Marčinjak.
Bonus video:
