The outcome couldn’t have been better – Primorje’s water polo players excelled in the Eurocup qualifying tournament, successfully reaching the group stage, which ensures they will compete in at least six additional international matches this season.

The Kotor team concluded the tournament with a flawless record of four wins – securing three victories in the regular phase and one in the quarterfinals, totaling 11 points.

The last team they faced was Greece’s Peristeri, whom Draško Brguljan and his teammates overcame with a score of 12:6, even though a draw would have sufficed for their advancement. They were determined to leave nothing to fate…

“Overall, we played exceptionally well throughout the tournament, particularly in the final two matches against Hannover and Peristeri. Winning first place was well-deserved as we demonstrated our capabilities. Our defense was outstanding, we adhered to our game plan, and I must commend the younger players who excelled, complementing the more experienced ones and allowing us to play true team water polo,” commented Draško Brguljan.

In the tournament’s opening match, Primorac triumphed over Panathinaikos, then defeated the Spanish team Terasa, and by Saturday it was evident they were ready to advance after triumphing over Hannover, a team widely regarded as the frontrunner, which ultimately finished second.

“Everything unfolded perfectly; the tournament was organized exceptionally well, and now we anticipate the draw. We have at least six more games in Europe, with three taking place in Kotor, providing an opportunity for our fans to amplify their support. We are grateful for the energy they contributed during this tournament, especially in the match against Hannover, where the crowd’s enthusiasm was palpable. It means a lot to us, and I hope this support continues,” Brguljan emphasized.

The Montenegrin team turned the match against Peristeri around with a 7:0 run, going from a deficit of 2:3 to gain a commanding 9:3 lead, while preventing the Greeks from scoring on Aleksandar Kralj for nearly 16 minutes.

Marko Mršić was the standout performer for Primorac, scoring three goals, while Marko Gopčević, Petar Ćetković, and Đorđije Stanojević each added two. Brguljan, Angus Lembi, and Nemanja Vico contributed one goal apiece.

“Our training has been effective, and we are well-prepared. This is just the beginning, but I am confident we will improve as the season progresses,” Brguljan concluded.

Alongside Primorje and Hannover from the Kotor tournament, other teams that made the cut for the second-tier European competition included Savona, Trieste, Ortiđa, Telimar (Italy), Honved, Vašaš, and BVSC (Hungary), along with Solaris (Croatia), Panionios, Apollon (Greece), Sabac (Serbia), and French Turkoan and Barcelona from Spain.

LEN has announced that the draw for the group stage will take place next week.

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