The junior (U19) water polo team of Montenegro faltered in the final of the European Championship in Burgas, Bulgaria.
In the fight for the title, our water polo players were defeated by Croatia - they lost 10:8 after the regular part was 7:7.
Miodrag Mirović's team was losing 3:0, and scored the first goal only five seconds before the end of the second quarter when Strahinja Gojković scored for 3:1.
It was then 4:1, then 4:4 when it seemed that the Montenegrin players had more strength and speed than their rivals, but Croatia struck a new blow in the opening part of the last period.
They took a 6:4 lead before being followed by a series of three goals from Crna Gopra, with which they entered the last minute with a 7:6 advantage (Balša Vučković's goal).
Mirović's players then had an attack to go to plus two, they didn't use it, and then in the return to defense they got sent off. After the time-out, the Croats secured the five-pointer 39 seconds before the end, when Ivuša Burđelez was safe in the attack with an extra player.
Srđan Janović, Vučković and Danilo Stupar were inaccurate in the penalties (only Gojković scored), so Croatia - which defeated our team in the group after great excitement - could start celebrating.
Montenegro was close to the gold, but it did a lot in Burgas anyway, because it lost all three games in the group (from Spain, Hungary and Croatia), and then reached the semi-finals with five-a-side triumphs - first over the Netherlands, then Serbia.
In a great performance, she outplayed the Hungarians in the semi-finals before standing on the last step towards the most brilliant medal.
In the end, captain Janović received individual recognition, who was declared the best player at the European Championship.
The bronze went to Spain, which also beat Hungary on five-pointers - 16:14.
MONTENEGRO - CROATIA 8:10 - AFTER PETERAC (0:1, 1:2, 3:1, 3:3, 1:3)
Burgas - "Park Arena". Referees: De Jong (Netherlands), Marques (Spain).
Montenegro: Bjelica, Vraneš, Samardžić, Petrović, Moračanin, Stupar 2, Perov, Janović 2, Milinić, Vučković 1, Gojković 1, Roganović 1, Vuković.
Croatia: Čubranić, Prkoča, Kuci, Šušić 2, Obuljen, Burburen 1, Burđelez 2, Žilić, Fajković, Penava, Tončinić 1, Pavlić 1, Ćosić.
Bonus video:
