The water polo team of Montenegro took Germany so seriously in the crucial duel in group A at the European Championship that a possible surprise in Budapest was an impossible mission.
The 10:3 victory in the end says everything about the balance of power in the "Danube Arena" pool, so our selection fully deserves to go to the eighth finals from second place.
That second position brings a lot - an easier match in the round of 14.30 (against Turkey on Monday at XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.) which is the last step on the way to a visa for the qualifying tournament for the Olympic Games, which takes place in Rotterdam in March.
"Ajkule", therefore, shares a game with an outsider until the quarter-finals, and then they would fight for a place in the semi-finals with one of the favorites - Italy, the first-placed team of group D.
Everything in Vladimir Gojković's game worked as it should. And when that is the case, then the Germans, no matter how unpleasant they are, cannot match the favorite.
Montenegro took a 2:0 lead in the middle of the first quarter with goals from Marko Petković and Đur Radović, and Germany reduced the score in the last minute, then had a five-pointer to equalize, which was saved by Dejan Lazović.
From that moment (the second minute of the second quarter), the dominance of the Montenegrin players was seen in the water. With a 4:0 series, they took a 6:1 lead, so at the start of the third part it became clear that there would be no excitement.
Montenegro won this match with almost perfect defense...
"You could see that we were well prepared from the start, the defense was excellent, the players communicated all the time," said Gojković.
In the finish there were also eight goals for our team - 10:2.
"We did not expect such an easy victory, but the players were concentrated both in defense and in attack. With this triumph, we secured an easier match in the round of XNUMX, Turkey is likely and the easiest possible opponent. The goal - qualification to the quarterfinals - has not yet been achieved, but we are close." Gojković pointed out.
Montenegro had seven scorers in this triumph. Radović, Aleksandar Ivović, Vladan Spaić and Dragan Drašković each scored two goals, Petković and Bogdan Đurđić scored one each.
"When the defense is right, then a lot of good things open up in the attack as well. The match with the Germans has long been underlined as very important, that's how we approached it, and even celebrated more convincingly than we expected. There is still Turkey on the way to placing among the top eight at the EP, which was the goal, because the quarterfinals bring qualification for the Olympic Games," said Spaić.
GERMANY - MONTENEGRO 3:10 (1:2, 0:3, 1:3, 1:2)
Budapest - "Danube Arena" swimming pool. Referees: Colombo (Italy), Schwartz (Israel). Player more: Germany 7 (2), Montenegro 9 (5). Peterci: Germany 1 (-).
Germany: Schenkel (13 saves), Rajbel 1, Van der Bosch, Real, Schulz, Jingling, Strelecki, Gillen 2, Stam, Ćuk, Restović, Ejdner, Getz.
Montenegro: Lazović (11 saves and five goals), Brguljan, Radović 2, Petković 1, Čučković, Obradović, Vidović, Đurđić 1, Ivović 2, Spaić 2, Drašković 2, Pješivac, Tešanović (two saves).
Bonus video:
