Last September, Budućnost faced a tough loss, falling behind with an incredible score of 30:25 in just 8 minutes at the “Sidbank Arena.” This time, however, the matchup on the Danish island of Finn told a different tale…

Ultimately, the Montenegrin powerhouse suffered a defeat against Odense in the third round of the Champions League, ending 31:29. The outcome might have been different if the officiating by the Polish duo had been more consistent.

Bojana Popović’s team didn’t deliver a flawless first half, but their overall performance showcased the potential of the two-time European champions – they may not have clinched the win, but their display was certainly encouraging.

After the match against Brest, Bojana Popović noted that mistakes came from unexpected sources, specifically from seasoned defenders. However, Nina Bulatović and Ivona Pavićević kicked off the match with great effectiveness, and alongside the talented Jelena Vukčević, Budućnost quickly demonstrated that Odense would face a tougher challenge this time around.

Vukčević set the tone for an exciting game, nailing a crucial seven-meter shot just before halftime, leveling the score at 12:12.

The second half commenced with fast-paced goals from both teams, and Jelena Radivojević played a pivotal role (often with a patch on her arm). In the 36th minute, Nina Bulatović scored, marking Budućnost’s first lead (17:16), followed shortly by two more goals that extended it to plus two (18:16, 19:17).

At that moment, the right wing of the “blues” delivered an outstanding performance, scoring six goals from seven attempts.

Sakura Hauge was remarkable in goal during the first half and was replaced by Armel Atingre, who also acquitted herself well. After one of her saves, Radivojević cleverly earned a penalty, and Jelena Vukčević converted effortlessly – putting Budućnost ahead with a great 20:17 score after the 42nd minute.

Yet, their inexperience and some questionable referee decisions proved detrimental, as Odense capitalized on a 4:0 run to regain the lead (21:20) by the 47th minute.

Nevertheless, the determination of the blue team shone through. Radivojević, Godeč, Tanja Ivanović, and of course, young Vukčević managed to keep the match in contention, with a goal from Vukčević bringing them to 27:26. However, frequent, disputable exclusions late in the game swung the momentum back to Odense…

ODENZE – BUDUĆNOST 31:29 (13:12)

Venue – Sidbank Arena. Attendance: 1,700. Officials: Lidacka and Lesjak (Poland). Penalties: Odense 2 (1), Budućnost 5 (5). Suspensions: Odense 2, Budućnost 8 minutes.

Odense: Rajnhart, Ten Holte (seven exclusions), Ordal 2, Larsen-Aune 4, Fauske, Gruntvig 1, Čapčet 1, Vale-Dal, Halilčević 1, Skjum-Tomsen 3, Hojlund 5, Rušfelt 9, Ogot-Hansen 1 (1), Van der Flit, Hagese-Elver 4.

Budućnost: Atingre (five saves), Hauge (five saves and seven goals), Marsenić, Danijelson, Vukčević 9 (5), Godeč 2, Popović, Marković 1, Ivanović 3, Radević, Bulatović 7, Tomova, Ramusović, Radivojević 4, Kadović, Pavićević 3.

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