This evening, the Montenegrin women’s handball team suffered a defeat in Prelog against Croatia, with a score of 23:21 during a friendly match that marked the debut of their new coach, Suzana Lazović.

The Lionesses showcased an impressive first half, leading by three goals (12:9) at halftime. However, as the team adjusted player rotations, they ultimately fell to the hosts, who are also gearing up for the EHF Euro 2024, commencing on November 28.

This match, the first for the “lionesses” in over six months, was particularly memorable as it marked the return of Đurđina Jauković to the national team after nearly two years, where she netted five goals.

Captain Milena Raičević also made her return to the national squad after a year, contributing three goals.

Montenegro’s upcoming European Championship roster will feature a significantly broader array of options in the back positions compared to the qualification tournament for the Paris Olympic Games held in April. This was evidenced by the impressive performance of right back Katarina Džaferović, who scored four goals.

Tatjana Brnović added another four goals to the tally, while other contributors included Dijana Mugoša, Nina Bulatović, Anastasija Marsenić, Andrijana Tatar, and Matea Pletikosić.

In goal, Armel Atingre was outstanding in the first half, recording 11 saves, while Marina Rajčić made two key stops in the second half.

Among the players listed in the match protocol, Ivana Godeč and Nikolina Marković were the only ones who did not see action.

Our national team started strong, quickly taking a 3:0 lead, and at one point maintained a four-goal margin (6:2, 10:6, 12:8) during the first half.

The home team managed to equalize in the 37th minute (13:13), with Montenegro’s last lead occurring in the 44th minute when Bulatović scored to make it 16:15.

Selector Suzana Lazović had a valuable test in Prelog, and this will not be the only assessment before their participation in the European Championship. Ahead of their opening match in Debrecen against Serbia on November 29, they will also face Slovenia to gauge their strength.

In the group stage at EHF Euro 2024, Montenegro will compete against Romania and the Czech Republic, with the top two teams advancing to the main round.

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