Convincingly, flutteringly, and most importantly, in a light rhythm, the Montenegrin water polo players defeated Russia and registered their second triumph at the European Championship in Budapest.
Ranko Perović's team won 15:7, so they are in a great mood waiting for the day off.
"Ajkule" will play their next match on Thursday against Romania (19 p.m.), an opponent who is certainly much more dangerous than "Zbornaja".
But, if they play like today and yesterday, Perović's chosen ones should not be afraid of the Romanians, who knew that they made life difficult for Montenegro in the past.
There was no dilemma against the Russians, the advantage grew from minute to minute, and the biggest one was at the finish when Aleksandar Ivović scored plus nine (15:6).
Today, there was no Antoni Petrović in the squad, who got hit in the jaw yesterday against the Greeks, so Perović didn't risk it...
Ivović and Filip Klikovac scored three goals each, Draško Brguljan, Mlađan Janović and Vjekoslav Pasković scored two each, and Uroš Čučković, Nikola Janović and Predrag Jokić scored one each.
Another match of group A was played today - Greece was better than Georgia with 15:6.
For the Georgians, whose coach is the Montenegrin Jovan Popović, one goal was scored by the former player of Primorje and Budva Damir Crepulja.
Italy defeated Romania 9:4.
Results - group A: Georgia - Greece 6:15, Russia - Montenegro 7:15, Romania - Italy 4:9.
Group B: Germany - Serbia 7:12, Croatia - Spain 8:8, Hungary - France 12:7.
Russia - Montenegro 7:15 (1:5, 2:3, 2:4, 2:3)
Budapest - "Alfred Hajoš" swimming pool. Spectators: 300. Judges: Koryzna (Poland), Mercier (France). Player more: Russia 8 (3), Montenegro 9 (7).
Russia: Kostrov (four defenses), Suchkov, Odintsov, Antipov, Zinatulin, Derevjakin, Timakov 3, Nagaev, Stepaniuk 2, Kolod 1, Yankov, Shepelev 1, Korneev.
Montenegro: Radić (12 saves), Dr. Brguljan 2, Pasković 2, Petrović, Yes. Brguljan, Čučković 1, M. Janović 2, N. Janović 1, Ivović 3, Mišić, Klikovac 3, Jokić 1, Šćepanović.
THE COURSE OF THE MATCH
Radić saved a shot from two meters. End of the game.
Time-out by Shagaev. The Russians will have more players in the last attack of the game (32 seconds left).
Montenegro did not take advantage of the attack with one more player. The last minute is in progress.
7:15 - Shepelev (1.36)
6:15 - Ivovic (2.36)
6:14 - Ivović with a player more (3.44)
Perović's time-out with four minutes left in the match.
6:13 - Nikola Janović with a player more (5.48)
Montenegro has an attack with a player more.
6:12 - Kolod (7.07)
Montenegro has the first attack in the last section.
End of the third quarter
5:12 - Timakov with a player more (0.02)
Russian time-out.
4:12 - Clicker (0.18)
4:11 - Timakov with a player more (0.36)
3:11 - Draško Brguljan with a player more (1.19)
3:10 - Paskovic (3.36)
Perović's time-out halfway through the third quarter.
Montenegro did not take advantage of the attack with one more player.
3:9 - Klikovac with the player more (6.19)
Exclusion of Stepanjuk.
Mlađan Janović did not take advantage of the counterattack.
Russia has the first attack in the third part.
End of the first half
But the Russians made a mistake, the ball was thrown into the goal-out.
Draško Brguljan was sent off.
There are 56 seconds left in the half. Time-out by Perović.
3:8 - Ivovic (2.34)
3:7 - Timakov (3.01)
The Russians attack again.
"Sharks" defended again with one less player.
Time-out of the coach of Russia, Erkin Shagaev. The Russians have an attack with a player more.
The Russians did not use the attack with the player more.
2:7 - Jokić with a player more (6.18)
2:6 - Stepanjuk (6.50)
1:6 - Pasković with a player more (7.13)
Montenegro has the first attack in the second leg.
End of the first part of the game
Perović's time-out 25 seconds before the end of the first quarter.
1:5 - Cuckovic (0.58)
1:4 - Mladjan Janović (1.48), again from the counterattack.
1:3 - Clicker (2.19) from the new counterattack
1:2 - Stepanjuk with a player more (4.10)
0:2 - Draško Brguljan with a player more (5.43)
Attack with a player more for Montenegro
0:1 - Mladjan Janović (6.43) from the counterattack
The match has started, the Russians have the first attack
After a convincing victory against dangerous Greece, the Montenegrin water polo players should have an easier task in today's duel - the opponent is Russia, along with Georgia, objectively the weakest team in Group A at the European Championship.
Yesterday, in the opening match, the Russians lost to Italy with 13:6, while the "sharks" were better than the Greeks with a score of 11:6.
Gallery
Bonus video:
