The Montenegrin women’s handball team secured a sixth-place finish at the European U19 Championship held in Podgorica.

In the battle for fifth place, the Montenegrin team was narrowly defeated by France with a score of 30:28.

Under the guidance of Coach Igor Marković, the team showcased an impressive performance throughout the tournament, achieving the highest result in history for junior teams at the continental championships.

Previously, the best outcome was seventh place, which they attained during the 2015 and 2019 championships.

The squad, consisting of players born in 2006 and later, demonstrated remarkable potential during the championship in Montenegro’s capital. Despite fatigue impacting their final match against France, they held their ground in all contests.

Competing against teams that ranked among the top five at last year’s World Championship, the Montenegrin women’s handball team exhibited promise for the future as they aim to make a notable impression at the upcoming World Championship next year.

In the last match of the tournament against the fourth-ranked team in the world, Coach Marković’s squad excelled in the first half, taking a two-goal lead twice, but eventually went into halftime tied at 13:13 after France rallied.

When France gained a substantial lead of 41:25 in the 19th minute, it appeared they were on their way to a convincing victory. Nevertheless, the “young lionesses” fought back and, despite a combined effort, narrowed the deficit to just two goals by the match’s end, keeping their opponents on alert until the final whistle.

Bojana Peličić was named player of the match, scoring seven goals (six from the penalty line without a miss), while Elena Mitrović contributed six goals.

Additionally, Vanja Živković made nine crucial saves, and Teodora Rončević added five saves to the team’s efforts.

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