Following their opening game in Doha against the USA, the Montenegrin water polo team delivered their best performance at the World Championship, but unfortunately fell short against one of the strongest teams globally.

The “Sharks” faced defeat at the beginning of the playoffs, losing to Greece 14:13 after just five minutes.

“It was a well-fought match; we maintained our focus from beginning to end, which wasn’t always the case in previous competitions when we were battling for positions 5 to 8,” commented coach Vladimir Gojković after the game.

Greece previously competed in the World Cup final in Fukuoka a little over six months ago, illustrating their formidable capability as a team.

“We faced an incredible team and I believe we utilized this match to our advantage, as the players prepare for the Olympic Games where every opponent poses a challenge,” Gojković remarked.

For the 7th place match, Montenegro will go up against the losing team of the Serbia vs. Hungary match. If they face the “dolphins,” the match will also carry significant weight since the victor will be better positioned for the Olympic Games draw.

“I’m disappointed about losing on penalties; we pursued Greece aggressively in the second half, exhibiting great energy, and we aim to replicate this performance in our next game,” Gojković concluded.

Vlado Popadić scored five points for Montenegro just four seconds before the end, yet he faced misfortune in the penalty shootout.

“I missed my penalty at the end, but it was a solid game. We held our own against a remarkable national team that rightfully deserves a spot among the top four,” said Popadić.

Our defender expressed particular satisfaction for one reason…

“We proved we can mentally recover and compete against top teams,” Popadić concluded.

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