With a win in the Czech Republic, Serbia could have helped Montenegro advance to the main round after their first match, but that opportunity slipped away. Today’s victory for the “lionesses” over Romania did not pave the way for their advancement either…

Uroš Bregar’s team faced a third defeat in the European Championship, this time losing to Romania (27:25) and will leave without any points. Meanwhile, Montenegrin handball players now understand that securing a win or a draw against the Czech Republic tonight at 20:30 will ensure their place in the main round, bringing two points with them.

The “Lionesses” proceed without any points, facing an uphill battle, as a loss by two goals or fewer is necessary, while a defeat by three goals (scored lower than 30:27) would mean their exit from the EHF Euro.

If Serbia had managed to beat Romania by any margin, the “lionesses” would have already guaranteed their progression prior to facing the Czech Republic, allowing them to play with significantly less pressure and focus on securing two points.

Regardless, Suzana Lazović’s squad was focused solely on achieving victory against the Czech Republic, without concern for alternative scenarios.

Serbia could have maintained its chances for the main round only with a six-goal win, followed by needing Montenegro to triumph in their match against the Czech Republic.

During the first half, they came close to reaching that critical six-goal margin (15:10) and continued to hold hope until the 41st minute when the score was 22:19. However, a series of uncharacteristic mistakes led to their downfall…

For the next eight minutes, Uroš Bregar’s girls struggled to find the net, while Romania capitalized on the opportunity, thanks to Stefanija Stojka, reclaiming the lead in the 49th minute (23:22), sealing the outcome of the match.

Romania now stands on the brink of the main round, with only a defeat of one or two goals for Montenegro in their match tonight against the Czech Republic able to eliminate their chances.

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