The Montenegrin men’s volleyball team concluded its inaugural participation in the CEV Golden European League with a disappointing record of six defeats.

Coached by Ivica Jevtić, the young team, with an average age of just 25 among its oldest players in the last two matches, faced a final blow in Strumica against the hosts, North Macedonia, losing decisively with scores of 3:0 (25:20, 25:21, 25:13), placing them at the bottom of the elite CEV standings.

From the outset of the match at the “Park” sports hall in Strumica, it was apparent that this was effectively a do-or-die situation, reminiscent of their earlier matchup in Skopje during the 2023 European Championship group stage. The collapse in the concluding sets sealed Montenegro’s fate in the Golden League, necessitating a win to stay afloat.

The home side mainly dictated the flow of the game in the first set, with Montenegro creating some uncertainty as they equalized at 19:19. However, Milenkoski’s team rallied, clinching six out of the last seven points to claim the set 25:20.

Hope for a comeback emerged in the second set as Jovović and his teammates initially led 5:2, peaking at a 12:8 advantage. This was soon followed by a series of points from the Macedonians, leading to a tie at 15:15 and then a 17:15 turnaround in favor of the hosts. Despite Montenegro’s attempts to respond, a damaging 4:0 run by North Macedonia at 18:18 assured them of the set victory at 25:21.

The missed opportunity took a toll on our young squad, who struggled to maintain momentum in the third set. They started strong but soon saw their opponents dominate, ultimately securing their survival in the Golden League with a resounding 25:13 victory.

Setter Jovović led the scoring with 14 points, while Peruničić contributed 11. Matija Ćinćur added seven points. For North Macedonia, Nikola Gjorgijev stood out with 16 points, complemented by Ljaftov’s 12.

Finishing without a single win in six encounters, our national team ended at the bottom of the CEV Golden League while managing to earn a point in a match against Latvia.

After six rounds, undefeated Israel, along with Greece and Finland, both boasting five wins, will join the hosting Czech Republic—who finished with an incomplete score—at the final tournament of the Golden League in Brno, scheduled for July 5th and 6th.

MONTENEGRO – NORTH MACEDONIA 0:3 (25:20, 21:25, 13:25)

Strumica – SD “Park”. Attendance: 1,000. Officials: Tomislav Popović (Serbia), Josip Hristov (North Macedonia).

Montenegro: Dubak, Ćinćur 7, Peruničić 11, Hadžisalihović 2, M. Joksimović, A. Joksimović (libero), V. Milenković, R. Milenković, Lečić, Lojić, Jovović 14, Rovčanin 1, Đurović 3, Radević (libero). Coach: Ivica Jevtić.

North Macedonia: G. Gjorgijev 3, Efremov, N. Gjorgijev 16, Milev 4, Arsov, Ljaftov 12, Lepidovski 5, E. Ričlijev, Arapov (libero), S. Ilijev, Kostić 2, K. Ilijev, K. Ričlijev (libero), Savovski 9. Coach: Joško Milenkoski.

News