Nebojša Simić met his target against Hungary, saving 11 shots, despite frequently being caught in the fray.

The outstanding goalkeeper expressed his shock at Montenegro’s defense during the first 30 minutes.

“In the first half, our defense collapsed entirely; we were out of sorts. During the tournament in Croatia, we played with heart and grit, but this time we didn’t even reach 10 percent of that. Players were strolling, easily passing through the center. I held back from shouting or making a scene, hoping the players would regain their focus. They did, and in the second half, our defense showed resilience,” he stated.

Regrettably, several mistakes occurred in the attack during crucial moments.

“Just as poorly as we defended in the first half, we struggled in attack during the second, particularly in the last 13-14 minutes when we only managed to score two or three goals. You can’t win a match like that. We deserved a draw, but I believe we let a win slip away,” he remarked.

The next game is in two days against Iceland, which recently drew with Serbia (27:27).

“Serbia exhibited exceptional defense, conceding goals only from penalties and counterattacks; they didn’t allow any positional goals until the end. We have a strong rotation, and I was impressed by Dragašević, who reminded me of Čepić’s performance against Slovenia in the European Championship. He consistently showcased his potential, and today he seized his opportunity brilliantly. I commend him for that. We’ll celebrate tonight and recharge for the morning. Our focus is on Iceland and Serbia; we aim to unsettle them and progress to the next round. If we were to yield at the first hurdle, we wouldn’t truly be Montenegrins,” Simić concluded.

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