With the victory over the Netherlands, the Montenegrin water polo players almost removed any doubts about qualifying for the World Championship, and they still have two games left until the end of the European Championship in Belgrade.
They don't have any particular significance in terms of results, but sporting ambition must exist - triumphs, after all, build character, so the "sharks" want to finish the tournament in style, if nothing else.
On Tuesday there is a derby with Serbia (8:30 PM), a duel that is more important for the opponent who has already secured a place in the semifinals and wants to confirm the first position in Group A of the main round.
Montenegro, on the other hand, no matter how the clash with the "dolphins" ends - on Thursday they will play for seventh place at the European Championship with Romania.
Vasilije Radović regrets that the match with Serbia does not have the real significance of the result.
"This match could have had a much higher stake. Now it's minimal for us, a little higher for Serbia because it wants to achieve first place in the group. It's the rival who certainly has an imperative in front of a full Arena," said Radović.
There is no pressure, and that, among other things, can be another reason for our national team to play its best and try to surprise.
"We are relieved, but we are definitely going into the match with maximum energy - to prove ourselves, to continue with the game from the last match. If we manage to continue that pace and the game we showed, that would mean a lot for our young team," Radović pointed out.
Full stands should be the motive.
"I expect a full Arena, Serbia will definitely need a win, while it is important for us to leave an impression after the poor performances against Hungary and Spain. I think we have a chance," says Vlado Popadić.
Whether Montenegro ended up in seventh or eighth place, it is clear that it did not show any progress in Belgrade, as was evident in matches against greats such as Hungary and Spain.
It was also evident against the Netherlands that our selection is now in the middle ranks of world water polo and that it is closer to the level of the Dutch, French or Georgians than to competing with teams that take turns winning titles and medals at major competitions.
This, however, does not mean that the semifinals are an impossible mission, but the defeats in the quarterfinals all these years and the way Montenegro has experienced them clearly indicate that the battle for medals is not a realistic goal, at least at this moment.
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