Montenegrin water polo players are playing the first and probably the only "easy" match at the European Championship in Split today. Needless to say, Vladimir Gojković's team is the favorite in the duel with Slovakia (14 p.m.), there is no doubt that they will win it in their favor. However, not just any victory is needed, but one through which our national team will make a good prelude for games in which mistakes can cost dearly.
The victory over Georgia on Monday (14:11) practically secured the second place in group A, it would also mean an easier rival in the round of XNUMX (Romania or Germany), but the "sharks" will have to fight for the first position against the favorite Italy on Friday. And until then, until it's time for calculations, the most important thing is the next opponent.
- Our mood increased after the victory against Georgia. But we continue as before, step by step. We do not underestimate Slovakia, but we are of better quality. We have to show it in the pool and use the game to raise our game and prepare for the decisive match in the group against Italy - said captain Marko Petković.
THE TWO FACES OF "SHARKS" AT THE PREMIERE
The triumph over Georgia showed two faces of our team. He played at least 20 out of a total of 32 minutes phenomenally - fast in attack, with excellent execution, had five goals at the end of the second quarter... Later, he fell into a big attacking crisis, Georgia scored with the player more and already by the end of the third quarter reduced from 9:4 to 9:8. Fortunately, Montenegro "woke up" in time and brought the match to an end without any problems.
All these oscillations in the game have already been seen when it comes to the Montenegrin national team. Moreover, they are expected considering how much the composition has undergone changes. They were at the World Cup at the beginning of the summer, as well as at the final tournament of the World League, when Gojković's team easily, in just a few minutes, "spilled" an advantage of three or four goals.
- In the third quarter, we lost our concentration, then at 9:8 we got a little nervous, but we connected the lines. The most important thing is that we won that match and that we played well in general. There were many positive things - pointed out Petković.
DEBUTANT VUJOVIĆ: IT'S FASCINATING
In the composition of the "Sharks" there are two debutants at the European Championship - center Jovan Vujović and guard Luka Murišić. The former was not in the protocol for the duel with Georgia, and it is expected that he will get a chance today. As is well known, LEN introduced a rule before the competition in Split that national teams can register 15 players and make a change before each match.
- As a debutant, I want to show myself and give as much as possible. Impressions at the big competition are enchanting - said Vujović.
With or without the 19-year-old "anchor" of Jadran, victory against Slovakia is a given.
- A triumph is expected, but we will not relax. This is a big competition, everyone is fighting for the highest ranking, many teams came to win a medal. We also came with the goal of chasing gold, we don't want anything less than that - concluded Vujović.
Montenegro and Slovakia have met five times so far (one friendly match), with the same number of victories for our national team. They haven't played since the EP in Budapest 2020, when the score was 15:4.
DERBY SERBIA - HUNGARY
The first round was marked by the Group B duel between Greece and France, which ended in a draw (12:12), and today the classic of European and world water polo is played - Serbia and Hungary, potential rivals of Montenegro, meet in the quarter-finals.
It will undoubtedly be a battle for the first place in the group, in which Slovenia and Israel are also total outsiders, who were defeated at the start with 16 and 15 goals difference from the giants.
- We know that this duel means who will be first and who goes directly to the quarterfinals. There were mistakes against Israel, we will analyze them so they don't happen again, because Hungary doesn't forgive that - said the "dolphins" coach Dejan Savić.
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