The Montenegrin water polo team continues its impressive streak, making it to the quarterfinals for the ninth consecutive time at the European championships.

Securing a spot among the top eight has become almost routine for the “sharks,” and this time they managed to avoid any slip-ups in Zagreb.

Under the guidance of coach Vladimir Gojković, the team showcased their dominance against Germany, winning 10:5. This victory not only propelled them into the next round but also likely ensured qualification for the World Cup in Doha set for early February. Additionally, they are gearing up for a highly anticipated match against Italy, scheduled for Friday at 20:15.

Montenegro faced little challenge from the Germans, who initially took a lead through a goal by Denis Strelekci. However, the Montenegrin team soon regained control.

By the end of the second quarter, the score stood at 4:3. After experiencing a brief lull, the opponent capitalized on this moment, allowing Zoran Božić to score twice in quick succession. This was followed by an impressive 6:0 run from Montenegro, rendering the final quarter a mere formality.

Gojković’s squad even opted not to score during the last eight minutes, with Dejan Lazović making his tournament debut in goal, achieving one save, while captain Petar Tešanović made seven saves.

The focus was on securing a straightforward win without exerting too much energy—an objective successfully met. Now, the real test comes as fans eagerly await to see if Montenegro can finally move beyond the quarterfinals and reach the semifinals of a major tournament since January 2020, when they last competed in Budapest.

“We were favored to win, and we met expectations. Although we struggled with our attacking choices for the first quarter and a half, we eventually turned things around. We managed our rotation wisely to prevent injuries,” Gojković remarked.

Facing Italy will present a different challenge, but Montenegro believes in its chances.

“The most important thing is that we are in the quarterfinals. Now, we will focus on preparing for the big match against Italy,” Gojković added.

Aleksa Ukropin was the standout for Germany, scoring three goals, including two from the box. Kanstantin Averka added two goals, while Miroslav Perković, Marko Mršić, Jovan Vujović, Dušan Matković, and Vasilije Radović each contributed one goal.

“Goal achieved—we’re in the quarter-finals, and now our focus is solely on Italy. This was a physically demanding match, and it took us a moment to adjust to the pool, but I believe we will perform better against Italy,” Ukropina noted.

MONTENEGRO – GERMANY 10:5 (3:1, 3:2, 4:1, 0:1)

Zagreb – Swimming pool on Sava. Spectators: 200. Officials: Alexandrescu (Romania), Bourges (France). Power Plays: Montenegro 9 (6), Germany 6 (2). Penalties: Montenegro 2 (2).

Montenegro: Lazović (1 save), Brguljan, Perković 1, Averka 2, Mačić, Mršić 1, Vidović, Đ. Radović, Ukropina 3, Vujović 1, Matković 1, V. Radović 1, Tešanović (7 saves).

Germany: Benke (9 saves), Božić 2, Korbel, Dick, Seifert, Taubert, Strelecki 3, Širu, Sekulić, Kupers, Šiper, Vernet Švejmer.

News