The water polo players of Jadran Mtela showcased an impressive performance in their critical qualification match for the Champions League.

Under the guidance of Vladimir Gojković, the team triumphed over Jug with a score of 14:12 in Dubrovnik, taking a significant step toward joining the ranks of European elites, with only the tournament winner progressing.

From the middle of the second quarter, Jadran played nearly flawlessly.

“Jugas” had a stronger start, taking a 6:4 advantage at the beginning of the second period, but goalkeeper Darko Đurović denied a crucial opportunity for the opponents when they had a man advantage, which could have extended their lead to three goals.

This pivotal moment shifted the momentum, leading to a remarkable response from Novlja, who turned it around with a 5:0 series to lead 9:6.

After Maro Joković narrowed the gap to 9:7 in the third quarter, the match was halted for nearly thirty minutes due to inadequate lighting in the pool, yet this disruption didn’t affect the Montenegrin vice-champion.

Vasilije Radović displayed his prowess by fending off Jug’s advances with three consecutive goals, securing Jadran’s victory. With two matches remaining in the tournament against Dinamo Bucharest and Barcelona, the next part of their journey towards the Champions League group stage appears to be more manageable.

“It was a crucial match and an important victory. We realized the significance of this game, even though we aren’t guaranteed advancement yet. We defeated the strongest rival in our pool, and now we must prepare thoroughly for the next two matches—playing correctly and achieving our goal of securing a place in the Champions League,” Gojković stated.

Dmitrij Holod led the scoring with four goals, followed by Vasilije Radović with three. Vuk Milojević contributed two goals, while Aleksandar Ivović, Uroš Vučurović, Danilo Radović, Đorđe Lazić, and Matija Sladović each scored one.

“We can be very pleased; I believe we have overcome the South after nearly a decade. The experience brought by our reinforcements, particularly Leka Ivović, was evident. We performed excellently, and we need to maintain this level of play until the tournament’s conclusion, as we aim to compete with the best teams in Europe,” remarked Vasilije Radović.

Jadran is set to face Dinamo on Saturday at 12:30 PM, followed by a matchup against Barcelona on Sunday at 10:30 AM.

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