The semi-finals were lost within twenty hours after the first two matches of the main round; however, the European Championship is not over for the Montenegrin handball players yet, and it may not conclude for them tonight either.

If the “lionesses” can defeat Sweden tonight at 20:30, and finish third in their group, they will secure a trip to Vienna for the tournament finals, where they will aim for fifth place in Europe.

“We dreamed of reaching Vienna. It’s disappointing not to play for a medal, but vying for fifth place is still a significant achievement,” stated Đurđina Jauković.

Securing fifth place could also mean a slot in the upcoming World Championship slated to be held in Germany and the Netherlands in 12 months. The condition to achieve this is that Montenegro’s rival in Vienna is Denmark.

Of course, the clearer picture will emerge first tonight when Montenegro faces Sweden, and then tomorrow at 18:00 when Denmark and the Netherlands clash in a direct encounter to determine who advances to the semi-finals and who fights for the other spots.

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Teams qualifying from this European Championship will be granted spots in the World Cup. As the reigning champions, France automatically qualifies, meaning three spots will be secured by the teams that finish second, third, and fourth in the Euro. If the Netherlands, as one of the World Cup hosts, makes it to the semi-finals, even finishing fifth will ensure World Championship qualification.

With the Netherlands hosting the next World Cup and France reigning as the current champion, two of the three spots will likely go to Norway and Hungary, who won’t participate in the qualifiers, while the final spot will be contested during the match for fifth place.

“There’s no lack of motivation, whether it’s for fifth or tenth place. We have demonstrated resilience time and again, and I believe that achieving fifth place and the chance for a direct World Cup qualification would be a tremendous success for our national team,” remarked Marta Batinović, Montenegro’s goalkeeper.

A similar sentiment was echoed by Matea Pletikosic.

“Certainly, it would be wonderful to finish among the top six teams in the European Championship, as it would likely secure direct entry into the World Cup,” said the “Lioness” center back.

Not reminiscent of Gothenburg

Before considering the next major competition for coach Suzana Lazović, the team needs to exit Debrecen on a high note—aiming for a fifth win in their seventh match of the EHF Euro. Their opponent, Sweden, had aspired for more after previously defeating Montenegro 32:25 in Gothenburg during the main round.

“The game we played before can’t be compared to this one. I don’t believe we’ll repeat that performance; back then, we knew we were moving on,” explained Matea.

It’s likely that Sweden has bigger ambitions than just the fifth-place match.

“They must be disappointed as they were aiming for a medal, but I am confident they won’t relent because fifth place is still commendable. We are prepared to fight and understand what needs to be done to reach Vienna,” emphasized Marta Batinović.

Fatigue (is not) an issue

The match with Sweden marks the seventh encounter for the “lionesses” in just ten days. It’s hard to fathom how our handball players managed to navigate two crucial matches within a mere 20 hours.

“This is something that is unrealistic to handle, but now we have time to prepare for Sweden, thanks to Andrija Damjanović and Danica Delić, who are doing a fantastic job in our recovery process,” stressed Đurđina Jauković.

While there is fatigue, there is also motivation.

“It is demanding for the players to endure 60 minutes in every match without even 24 hours to rest between intense match-ups against skilled teams like Hungary and France. Our squad depth is limited, thus only a few players have borne the brunt, but they are prepared to give everything necessary to triumph against Sweden,” Marta Batinović asserts confidently.

Vienna or home—regardless of the outcome, the path to Germany, the Netherlands, and the next major competition becomes clearer from the Austrian capital.

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