There was no accolade for outstanding editions, but the Montenegrin water polo team has reached the quarter-finals for the fourth consecutive time in major competitions.

At the World Championship in Fukuoka, just like during the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, Greece stood between them and a medal – they triumphed 10:9, shattering the dreams of the “sharks,” who were hoping to clinch medals at global tournaments after a decade.

It’s unfortunate that Vladimir Gojković’s squad faced defeat, yet they did so with pride against the Olympic silver medalists, who didn’t display themselves as a superior team in the “Marine Mesa” pool.

They seemed more prepared for an exhilarating final where everything hinged on one or two crucial goals—defending with one player down or attacking with one additional player.

Or perhaps both—a goal that led to their defeat came from an almost impossible position on the wing when Petar Tešanović encountered Dimitrios Skubakis in the final minute, followed by Miroslav Perković hitting the crossbar instead of finding the net from a prime position…

“It was an intense match fueled by the determination of our players. We performed exceptionally in the last two quarters, and our fantastic defense helped us recover from a rocky start… Though we dominated at times, the exclusions were numerous, and it leaves us with regrets,” reflected Gojković.

Montenegro never led against Greece, having fallen behind by three goals at the close of the second quarter (6:3), but they eventually found their rhythm. For the first time, our team equalized in the seventh minute of the third quarter (courtesy of Aleksa Ukropina, making it 7:7), yet they squandered opportunities to make Greece chase the deficit.

No great philosophy here—the crux of the issue was that in the final quarter, the “sharks” converted just one out of five power plays, with a few easy opportunities missed, simplifying Greece’s task.

“These players demonstrated at the World Cup that they can compete with the best again, entering those matches on equal footing. It’s tough to cope with such a loss, but we will aim to bounce back and fight for placement,” Gojković added.

After the match, Miroslav Perković felt compelled to explain himself to the spectators, having became the tragic figure; with 16 seconds left, he missed a shot that would have likely secured his team an additional point. Though Montenegro had squandered chances against the Greeks much earlier…

“A solid match with a disappointing end for us. We were so close, and in the end, it came down to that one shot—while the Greeks scored from a nearly impossible angle, I hit the crossbar… Luck was not on our side,” lamented the Novi Belgrade center, adding:

“I believe most players, myself included, were eager before the match. We defeated the European champions Croatia in the round of X, and against the Olympic vice-champions, we deserved to be in contention for five points. I know we can achieve even more and improve. I hope that’s the case,” Perković concluded.

Montenegro has much at stake in the upcoming matches, aiming for placement between fifth and eighth; they need to win both games to secure qualification for the next World Cup in Doha while still in Fukuoka.

As it stands, the semi-finalists of this tournament—Serbia, Hungary, Greece, Spain, along with Italy as the World Cup finalist—have already qualified.

The first opponent on the journey for our squad will be Italy, with that match scheduled for Thursday at 7 PM local time.

MONTENEGRO – GREECE 9:10 (1:2, 3:4, 3:1, 2:3)

Fukuoka – “Marine Mesa” swimming pool. Referees: Margeta (Slovenia), Kovač Čatloš (Hungary). Man advantage: Montenegro 15 (6), Greece 13 (4), Exclusions: Greece 3 (3).

Montenegro: Andrić, Mačić, Perković, Averka 1, Čučković, Popadić 1, Vujović, Đ. Radović 3, Ukropina 2, Spaić 1, Matković 1, Radović, Tešanović (six saves).

Greece: Cerdevas (nine saves), Genidunias 5, Skubakis 1, Giuvecis 1, Fudulis, Papanastasiu, Dervisis, Argiropoulos 2, Alafragkis, Kakaris 1, Nikolaidis, Kalogeropoulos, Corcatos.

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