The start of the World Championship was not good for young Montenegrin water polo players. Our U20 selection opened the planetary championship in Zagreb with a convincing defeat to Hungary - it was 18:10.
The question of the winner was not raised since halftime, as the Hungarians, with a furious game in the second half of the second quarter, escaped to an unattainable 11:5...
The opening half was goal for goal, with Montenegro taking the lead through Srđan Janović in a man-up attack. It was then 2:1 and 3:2 for Aleksandar Aleksić's team, who allowed their rival to take a 3:0 series to reach plus two (5:3).
Janović later reduced the score to 5:4 and it was the last moment in which our national team was in the game, as Hungary reached a 10:4 lead in three and a half minutes. The rival had the biggest advantage with three and a half minutes left in the match, when they took a 17:8 lead.
Janović and Danilo Stupar were the most efficient in the Montenegrin team with three goals each, Milan Nikaljević scored two, and Ilija Kojičić and Nikola Petrović scored one each. The best individual for the Hungarians was Oliver Lejnweber with five goals.
On Sunday (19 pm), Montenegro will face a new derby against host Croatia, and on Monday (17.30:XNUMX pm) a match against the United States of America.
Montenegro is in Group A, while four teams make up Group B - Greece, Serbia, Italy and Spain. The other 12 national teams are divided into four groups of three teams each.
From Groups A and B, all teams advance - the top two teams from each group advance directly to the quarterfinals, while the third- and fourth-place teams will play for a place among the top eight with teams from Groups C, D, E and F.
Bonus video:
