The junior water polo team from Montenegro has advanced to the quarter-finals of the European Championship in Burgas, competing for players aged up to 19 years.

In a thrilling first knockout phase match, the Montenegrin team triumphed over the Netherlands with a score of 16:15 (2:1, 3:2, 5:4, 1:4, 5:4).

During the third quarter, they established a notable lead that appeared to secure their victory, but a late-game slump nearly cost them a spot in the quarter-finals.

The standout player was goalkeeper Andrije Bjelic, who made a critical save against Fabije Jukić’s shot during the fifth penalty shootout, and also denied the last attempt from their rivals in regulation time.

In their quest for a place in the semi-finals, they will face Serbia tomorrow at 15:00, a team that achieved three victories in the group stage against Greece, Germany, and Italy.

After two evenly matched quarters, the young Montenegrin players built a three-goal lead late in the third quarter—9:6, then 10:7—indicating they might have secured the win.

However, the resilient Dutch team, with two goals in the final quarter, posed a serious threat by narrowing the score to 10:9. With two minutes remaining, they showcased their determination and belief in orchestrating an upset.

They netted their third consecutive goal to equalize at 10:10, and after a brief lead from the Montenegrin team, the Netherlands again tied the score and had the last possession, eyeing a sensational finish.

Balša Vučković led Montenegro with four goals, including several five-pointers, while Srđan Janović contributed three goals. Draško Samardžić, Danilo Stupar, and Tim Perov each added two, and Danilo Roganović, Strahinja Gojković, and Nikola Petrović chipped in with one goal apiece.

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