“0 and Leading for Most of the Match”
Gojković with his players during the match against Serbia, Photo: Orange Pictures/VPSCG
Despite taking an early lead of 5:0 in the first quarter and maintaining a margin of 8:4 in the second, the “sharks” could not secure a win against Serbia in the World Championship held in Fukuoka.
Montenegro’s water polo team faced a defeat with a final score of 17:15 (tied at 13:13 after 32 minutes), resulting in their placement in the round of 16 as the third seed, where they are most likely to face European champions Croatia.
“It’s challenging to express my feelings… We certainly can’t be pleased following our strong start with a 5:0 lead and our control for three and a half quarters. Ultimately, we lost by five, after having been on the offensive previously,” stated coach Vladimir Gojković post-match.
The team must swiftly move past this disappointing loss.
“The players displayed energy, determination, and aggressiveness which helped us establish an early advantage, but there’s no going back on this game; we need to focus on the round of 16,” Gojković added.
In the upcoming round, Croatia is expected to be their opponent, as they are set to take on host nation Japan at noon local time.
“In the round of 16, we’re facing a crucial match where there’s no room for error,” concluded Gojković.
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