In a consecutive performance, the Montenegrin national water polo team has secured eighth place at the World Championship.

Today, the “Sharks” faced defeat against the USA in their quest for seventh place, finishing the match at 17:15 after a tied score of 12:12 during regulation.

“The first two quarters were less than ideal. We missed several shot opportunities, but we managed to dominate the latter part, creating numerous chances in the second half, including four minutes with an advantage. Unfortunately, we may not have converted a single opportunity, so there’s room for dissatisfaction. Especially given how tightly contested it was to reach the top five, and now we are left reflecting on the ‘lottery penalty’. We had a real shot at seventh place,” coach Vladimir Gojković remarked to RTCG post-match.

The coach emphasized he has no grievances regarding the players’ efforts.

“I can’t fault anyone for their attitude. The energy was good—our returns and swimming were commendable. We need to devise better solutions for similar situations moving forward,” he noted.

Gojković concluded the “Sharks” involvement in the championship.

“We faced two losses, two draws, and three defeats. Those two tied matches were dropped in penalties. Both were pivotal—particularly the one against Serbia, which, while it holds less weight today, was significant for maintaining our prestige and winning mentality. In terms of performance, we played as expected. Unlike last year, where we struggled against the world’s best teams, we matched up well this time, except against Italy, where our game got off to a poor start.”

Montenegro had a crucial moment in the quarter-finals against Greece, hitting the crossbar in the final moments…

“It’s essential we start winning. Some teams have taken seven or eight years to reach that point. I believe we had a solid chance against Greece, but we dropped several matches in those crucial closing moments and need to address that, as we are generating chances. If we were purely outclassed, we could echo last year’s sentiment of never having a chance. This time, we did.”

Gojković also discussed the limited playtime for Bogdan Đurđić and the dismissal of Uroš Čučković from the national team.

“In May, I called a meeting to stress the importance of being ready and part of the team, and that we would seek the best solutions based on performance. My assessment is that we played well. Čučković is bidding farewell, and I want to extend my gratitude for his contributions to Montenegrin water polo over the past 10-12 years, including his time with the senior national team. His conduct and career have been exemplary. It’s unfortunate we couldn’t finish his career with even greater success,” said Gojković to RTCG.

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