When the attack suffers for over 40 minutes, even a solid defense struggles—Montenegrin handball players faced defeat against Germany (2:28) in the 24th round of Olympic Games qualification today.

“From the beginning, we recognized it wouldn’t be straightforward. Thanks to our strong defense, we managed to tie at 4:3, but our attack was inconsistent—sometimes it worked, other times it faltered, and when it did, we missed crucial shots from the wide right sides,” reflected coach Bojana Popović after the match.

It was only towards the end, as Germany extended their lead to ten goals, that the “lionesses” began to find the net.

“In the last 20 minutes, we managed to stabilize our attack, leading to an improved score. I was pleased with the numerous defensive plays the girls executed, as well as their determination and commitment until the final whistle,” Bojana noted.

The next challenge is imminent—the decisive match against Slovenia tomorrow at 4 p.m. The victor secures a place at the Olympics.

“This match offered valuable insights for the upcoming game against Slovenia, allowing the girls to experience a bit of the defensive struggle. We need to recover and prepare for tomorrow,” advised Bojana.

It was anticipated that the game against Dragan Adžić’s team would be pivotal.

“Regardless of whether we won or drew today, we understood that to qualify for the Olympic Games, we needed to win against Slovenia in the final round,” Popović emphasized.

She revisited the match against Germany once again.

“I’m glad we had an opportunity like this where the girls could identify certain aspects, engage a bit, and experience the field and the genuine opponent we’ll face tomorrow.”

Insights gained from that match will be valuable for the Montenegrin coach in the clash with Slovenia.

“The feeling from the last 20 minutes, particularly in defense, is encouraging. Whether utilizing a 5-1 or a 6-0 defense, I can see that they feel secure and empowered in that setup, so we’ll aim to adopt that strategy in the match against Slovenia to achieve a favorable outcome,” concluded Bojana.

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