Before the Medals, It Was Seventh or Eighth Place
Suzana Lazović, Photo: Jozo Čabraja/kolektiff
The inaugural major event for Montenegro’s coach, Suzana Lazović, will conclude with a seventh or eighth-place finish at the European Championship. Despite the outcome, it feels as though our handball players deserved more. Unfortunately, the third and fourth places in the main round group became an undeniable reality.
“Looking back at Montenegro’s previous results leading up to significant medals, seventh or eighth place has often been the standard… I commend the girls for their efforts throughout this tournament. We will learn from this experience and move forward,” remarked the Montenegrin coach.
The “Lionesses” exited the EHF Euro with a heartbreaking defeat to Sweden (25:24) — a draw or victory would have granted them a spot in Vienna for a contest for fifth place.
“It wasn’t the ending we hoped for; we couldn’t even secure a draw, which would have taken us to Vienna. We faced technical errors, missed shots, and unmet objectives, but I believe we achieved a significant outcome,” added Lazović.
There were favorable aspects during their time in Debrecen, including multiple wins, but also numerous mistakes that contributed to their defeats against Hungary, France, and Sweden.
“We’ll analyze what went well and what didn’t — our squad depth was not sufficient to cope with this intense game schedule, but we’ll keep moving forward. I feel satisfied and proud of the team; they fought until the end, and ultimately, it’s our own shortcomings that led to this result,” proffered Lazović.
There is a perception that Montenegro’s errors significantly aided their opponents in these losses…
“We lost all the games we could have captured, but it’s essential to note that the girls exerted their utmost effort; technical mistakes occurred, yet none of them intended to falter — that’s simply part of sports. I believe the entire nation should take pride in their determination in each match. That’s pivotal, and it consequently propels Montenegro towards future success. I’m confident everything will improve moving forward,” Suzana Lazović concluded.
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