France didn’t deliver an impeccable performance; far from it. They seemed to struggle against Montenegro, who made several rookie mistakes at the “Phoenix Arena.” Given the “lionesses'” errors, it was unlikely they would have had a better outcome against a team that is much less formidable than the reigning world champions.

After three victories in the initial stage, the Montenegrin players faced their second defeat in the main round of the European Championship, with France triumphing 31:23 in Debrecen.

What stings more than the loss is the realization that the “lionesses” have essentially waved goodbye to their medal aspirations after the second round of the second phase. Their hopes for advancing to Vienna and the semi-finals hinge on the improbable scenario that Hungary will not secure more than a point in their remaining three matches… and that Montenegro will also defeat Poland and Sweden.

It’s far more plausible that Milena Raičević and her teammates are now vying for the third spot in their group, with a trip to the Austrian capital in sight to compete for fifth place.

After a promising start, expectations might have been elevated, but the reality is that the “Lionesses” are still a long way from matching the likes of France and Hungary, especially in light of the numerous offensive errors they committed over the last two days in Debrecen.

Right from the outset, our players struggled with mistakes, allowing France to quickly establish a 3:0 lead, thanks to Estelle Nze Minko. A commendable reaction followed as the “lionesses” narrowed the gap to 4:3 thanks to Itana Grbić, Tatjana Brnović, and Đurđina Jauković. However, they missed opportunities to equalize…

With missed shots and continued errors, Sebastien Gardiu’s squad surged ahead, increasing their lead to seven points by the 24th minute, with the score reading 20:11.

Just before the break, the remarkable Ivona Pavićević scored three consecutive goals, trimming the deficit to 15:11. There were chances for our national team to make a complete comeback.

The “lionesses” brought the score to 18:14, stopping France’s momentum temporarily and creating several chances to close the gap to three. Yet, they squandered multiple open shots, including four consecutive saves by Lora Gloze. At that point, it became evident how the match would conclude…

Ultimately, as anticipated, everything crumbled by the end, resulting in France securing a clear victory…

Montenegro will face Poland in an irregular match on Sunday at 15:30.

FRANCE – MONTENEGRO 31:23 (15:11)

Debrecen – “Phoenix Arena”. Attendance: 2,041. Referees: Braset and Sundet (Norway). Penalties: France 4 (2), Montenegro 7 (3). Exclusions: France 12, Montenegro 6 minutes. Red card: Kanor (France) in the 24th minute.

France: Gloze (seven saves and four penalties), Sako (three saves), Coatanea 2, Valentini 4, Zadi 7 (1), Flip, Kanor 1, Horacek 2 (1), Lasurs 1, Fopa 2, Nze Minko 5, Ondono, Granije 2, Bukkit, Granvo 4, Dipua 1.

Montenegro: Rajčić (two saves and seven goals), Atingre (five saves and seven goals), Batinović, Jauković 2, Pletikosić 2, Godeč, Mugoša 3 (3), J. Vukčević, Ivanović 1, Brnović 3, Bulatović, Džaferović 1, Tatar 2, Raičević, Pavićević 6, Grbić 3.