From the special reporter “Vijesti”

It’s a familiar scenario—the “falcons” once again felt the weight of expectations as they faltered against the Czech Republic, leaving the field without a single shot on goal.

The Montenegrin team faced defeat for the sixth time against the “lions,” with the 2:0 loss in Plzen marking their first setback in the World Cup qualifiers—truly their first significant challenge.

“Kudos to the Czechs; they earned this win in the end. I believe we performed well in the first half, controlling the game until our naive mistake led to their goal. We lost the ball in a crucial area, and things unraveled from there,” remarked coach Robert Prosinecki at the post-match press conference.

The outcome might have been different had VAR not ruled out Milan Vukotić’s Euro goal shortly after the Czech goal.

“We put in effort, creating a well-constructed play that was unfortunately ruled out. We tried to attack from the left, but our finishing could have been sharper,” Prosinecki added.

As the second half unfolded, expectations for a comeback were dashed as the floodgates opened.

“The Czechs took charge in the second half. We made three substitutions in an effort to regain some freshness, as both Edvin Kuč and Milan Vukotić were fading. Our goal was to inject speed and penetration with Milutin Osmajić… Nonetheless, congratulations to the Czechs once more; unfortunately, they defeated us again.”

How daunting is the path ahead?

“This is merely the first leg; in September, we’ll host the Czechs and aim to rectify this result. There’s still a lot at stake—plenty of matches remain. The Czechs will visit Montenegro, and several factors will influence the outcome. The situation is concerning, but the qualifiers aren’t finished yet,” emphasized the Croatian coach.

Can Montenegro find a reason for optimism following such a listless display?

“I must reiterate that they outperformed us in the second half; we simply couldn’t keep pace. However, it’s not over. Looking ahead to September, we must adopt a positive outlook. Winning at home is paramount before assessing what lies ahead. I have faith the players can elevate their game.”

Is there a sense of disappointment following this poor performance?

“There’s undoubtedly a considerable weight of responsibility on my shoulders, which I accept. This was one of the most crucial matches, and we fell short. We’re lacking something essential. Whether it’s young players stepping up or adjustments in the lineup, we’ll evaluate our options. There will need to be changes as we pursue a competent performance in September. I empathize with the fans and all involved, as we didn’t deliver our best.”

The promising young talents of Montenegrin football, Andrija Bulatović and Vasilije Adžić, did not feature in Plzen.

“This was their first time with the team, and I wanted to avoid overwhelming them in a match of this magnitude. But they will have future opportunities—against Armenia, we’ll assess the contributions of the younger players,” concluded Prosinecki.

News