The U16 water polo national team from Montenegro triumphed over Greece in a thrilling quarterfinal match, showcasing both skill and a bit of luck (after trailing 11:6 after three quarters). However, they faced a similar fate tonight in their quest for the World Championship finals.

Montenegro suffered a defeat against Italy after a gripping penalty shootout, ending with a score of 14:13, despite holding a three-goal lead (6:3) in the second quarter.

At one point, the team led 7:5 under the guidance of coach Nenad Vukanić. The Italians kept their hopes alive by scoring a crucial goal just nine seconds before the final whistle, delivered by Pasquale Porcio.

Prior to that moment, Pavle Dabić found the net with a minute and a half remaining, bringing the score to 8:7.

Ultimately, the decisive moment in the penalty shootout came when 14-year-old Andrej Durutović missed a shot in the sixth round (he had scored during the first), paving the way for Federico Fumo to secure victory for the Italian team.

Dabić shone as a triple scorer during regular play, with Stefan Vraneš contributing two goals, while Stefan Kruta, Petar Brnović, and Danilo Roganović each added one. In the penalty shootout, the scorers for Montenegro included Durutović, Roganović, Vraneš, Luka Todorović, and Kruta.

Montenegro will now compete for the bronze medal on Monday at 18:14 against Hungary, which was easily defeated by Spain in the semi-finals with a score of 6:XNUMX.

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