Although the opportunity for a spot in the round of 29 was long gone, the match against the current top team in Europe showcased that Budućnost Bemax has potential. Bojana Popović’s team suffered a loss against Djer with a score of 21:XNUMX, but they discovered a promising middle back for the future in Nikolina Marković.

The 19-year-old from Podgorica has much work ahead to become a leader at Montenegro’s premier club, yet her skill level is evident.

Marković showed no fear when facing world handball superstars, consistently seeking openings in the defense for assists, penetrations, or shots. Her performance hinted that the prowess she displayed with the Montenegro junior teams, mentored by Ivan Terzić, Maja Savić, and Igor Marković, could easily translate to the senior league.

Another 19-year-old, Jelena Vukčević, also seized her opportunity, and together, they are set to be the cornerstone of the junior national team at the upcoming World Championship.

The disparity in quality was palpable from the start, with Budućnost taking four minutes and 40 seconds to secure their first goal from Kalidijat Nijakata, trailing 1:3.

After Veronika Kristiansen’s goal made it 3:8, Popović called for a time-out in the 12th minute. This proved to be a wise decision as the “blues” narrowed the deficit to 9:10, driven by Marković’s fourth assist and Ivona Pavićević’s third goal, positioning them at the top of the team’s scoring chart.

However, Djer capitalized on Kalidijat Nijakata’s rough patch and a sluggish start from Mari Tomova to pull ahead 13:9, maintaining that margin at halftime (17:13).

With goals from Marković during a power play and Pavićević on a fast break, Popović’s squad rallied to come within 15:17. Unfortunately, that was as close as they would get—Ulrik Kirkeli’s team stepped up their defensive game, not conceding a goal for nearly 12 minutes, while Vukčević became the first of three home players to net a seven-pointer at the 45th minute.

Sadly for Budućnost, it was too late to recover, with Djer celebrating their 11th consecutive victory in the Champions League, while the “blues” remained stuck at three points…

FUTURE BEMAX – ĐER 21:29 (13:17)

Podgorica – “Bemax Arena”. Attendance: 250. Officials: Unlu-Hatipoglu and Simsek (Turkey). Penalties: Future Bemax 3 (1). Exclusions: Future Bemax 6, Đer 4 minutes.

Future: ATINGRE (six saves), Gigerih (three saves), MARSENIĆ 1, MARKOVIĆ 4, J. Vukčević 3 (1), GODEČ 4, Popović, NIJAKATE 2, IVANOVIĆ 2, Agović, Radević, Tomova 1, Kadović, PAVIĆEVIĆ 4, N. Vukčević.

Djer: SOLBERG (four saves and seven goals), Toft (one save), Haugsted 1, BLOM 1, SELEŠI-ŠACL 3, Bratstet-Dale 3, GROS 5, De Paula 4, Ryu 3, Oftedal, KRISTIJANSEN 2, Đeri-Lukač 2, HOVDEN 1, NZE-MINKO 3, Broh, Farkaš 1.

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