“Spain and the Mighty Perone Outshine the Sharks”
For the sixth consecutive match, the Montenegrin water polo team struggled against Spain, resulting in a convincing loss on the scoreboard, though the game felt more competitive in the water.
Ultimately, the “Red Fury” triumphed with a score of 11:7 in the second round of the World Championship in Fukuoka, securing their spot in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, our team is set to face Serbia on Friday in a critical match for second place, which they must win to achieve.
Securing that second position is crucial, as it will determine the opponent in the fight to reach the top eight. The runner-up will likely compete against the host nation, Japan, while the third-place team from our group will face the derby against Croatia, who suffered a defeat from Hungary early this morning.
Spain initially took control of the match, leading 2:0, but Montenegro quickly countered with goals from Vlad Popadić and Miroslav Perković to level the game at 2:2 before the second quarter.
The match progressed goal for goal, and Spain headed into halftime with a slight edge, leading 5:4. In the third period, they managed to gain a significant advantage, ending the eight minutes with a score of 9:6.
Our team had opportunities to close the gap, especially after Konstantin Averka’s goal, but they missed several crucial chances to cut the score down to 9:8…
After that, the offense stalled, leading to a definitive loss.
Felipe Perone stood out as the star of the match, netting five goals, each showcasing his exceptional skill. For Montenegro, Bogdan Đurđić scored twice, while Popadić, Perković, Averka, Aleksa Ukropina, and Uroš Čučković each contributed once.
MONTENEGRO – SPAIN 7:11 (2:2, 2:3, 2:4, 2:1)
Fukuoka – “Marine Mesa” swimming pool. Officials: Stavridis (Greece), Dervju (France). Player advantages: Montenegro 8 (2), Spain 8 (5).
Montenegro: Andrić, Mačić, Perković 1, Averka 1, Čučković 1, Popadić 1, Đ. Radović, Đurđić 2, Ukropina 1, Spaić, Matković, V. Radović, Tešanović (nine saves).
Spain: Aguirre, Munaris 1, Granados 1, Sanauza 1, De Toro, Famjera 1, Barroso 1, Taulj, Perone 5, Maljarah, Bustos 1, Lorio (six saves).