Without fear and too much respect against a team whose cap is worn by world aces like Andrija Prlainović, Duško Pijetović, Angelos Vlahopoulos, Strahinja Rašović and many others...
The Jadran M:tela water polo team won one of the toughest pools in Europe, Vladimir Gojković's boys defeated Radnički in Kragujevac in the 2nd round of the regional Premier League - 14:12 after a penalty shootout.
The Montenegrin champion chased a one or two goal lead throughout the match, always having a ready response to the rival's onslaught, and then in the final minutes it reached 10:10 and penalty shootout.
And, there, goalkeeper Lazar Andrić crowned a superb performance with two saves. It's only the beginning of the season, but Jadran showed ambitions against one of the strongest teams in Europe.
The team from Novi got off to a good start, taking the lead through Strahinja Gojković and during the first half playing on the wings of the best water polo player of the European U18 Championship as well as Matija Sladović.
Whenever Radnički would escape to plus two, Jadran's tandem would bring their team back into the game.
Still, the home team went into the break with a 6:4 lead, but Jadran was even more determined in the rest of the game.
Through Dmitri Holod and Francisco Valera, the club from the Gulf of Naples reached 6:6, at those moments Dimitrije Obradović, Daniil Merkulov and Jovan Vujović shook the goal frame, and on the other side Angelos Vlahopoulos was twice cool-blooded (8:6).
Radnički had two more plus twos, but Vasilije Radović and Danilo Stupar decided that Jadran would not return from Šumadija without points.
Both teams could have won at 10:10, but the decision came in a penalty shootout - Andrić made a phenomenal save from Strahinja Rašović and Vlahopulos, while Holod, Valera, Sladović and Srđan Janović were safe for Jadran.
RADNIČKI - JADRAN M:TEL 12:14 (2:1, 4:3, 2:3, 2:3 - 2:4)
Kragujevac - Indoor swimming pool SPD "Radnički". Spectators: 500. Judges: Veselin Mišković and Ivan Raković.
Radnički: Filipović (eight saves), S. Rašović, Dedović, Ranđelović, P. Jakšić 1, Pijetlović, Prlainović 4, Cvetanov, Murišić, Vapenski, Vlahopulos 3, V. Rašović 3, Todorovski (three saves), Dadvani 1.
Jadran: Andrić (12 saves), Holod 2, Stupar 2, Obradović, Vujović, Valera 2, Merkulov, Gojković 2, Lazić, Sladović 4, Matijašević, V. Radović 1, I. Radović, Janović 1.
Bonus video:
