Branko Vujović delivered an outstanding performance with eight goals from ten attempts, earning him the title of player of the match. Vuko Borozan played a crucial role in both defense and offense, contributing significantly with six goals, an assist, and two steals, but the real hero was Nemanja Grbović.

The seasoned pivot, who had been sidelined since a World Cup injury in Poland and Sweden, returned to lead the “lions” to a thrilling victory over Serbia (30:29).

With just six seconds remaining, Montenegro launched an attack from the center. Vladimir Cupara made a save against Stefan Čavor’s shot, but Grbović swiftly seized the rebound and scored just before the final buzzer, igniting a celebration at “Olimpijahale” in Munich.

This victory secured third place in Group C for the “lions”, paving a clearer path to the World Championship in Norway, Denmark, and Croatia, as they will be in the top seed for the playoff draw.

“I must have a magnet in my hands,” Grbović joked about how the ball always seems to land in his possession after a save.

The Steaua Bucharest winger expressed his delight:

“It was an incredible night and a fantastic win. It was a challenging game, but perhaps that makes it even sweeter. I regret we couldn’t progress to Cologne; we had a chance but were just unlucky.”

Grbović refrained from making bold promises for the World Cup:

“We’ll take it one step at a time. First, we need to determine who our opponent will be in the playoffs before aiming to secure a spot. I prefer not to make any promises to avoid a potential disaster.”

His fellow captain, Mirko Radović, shared a message for both his teammates and competitors:

“We aimed to finish the tournament on a high note. It was a manly contest, a true battle. Full credit to the Serbian national team for their effort. We regrouped well after our earlier games. My players have shown their resilience in both victory and defeat, demonstrating they have hearts as strong as Lovćen, and I am proud of them.”

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