It was a truly European evening in Kotor, featuring the European edition of the Primorac water polo team.

And it ended happily – the reigning Montenegrin champions triumphed over Hungary’s BVSC with a score of 17:16, securing their place in the Eurocup quarterfinals after a tie of 16:16 in the first match.

This latest triumph was particularly satisfying for the people of Kotor, as it appeared for a long time that they would secure a spot in the top eight with a decisive victory, though the match was not without its drama – the young Balša Vučković clinched the win with just 67 seconds remaining.

Vjekoslav Pasković’s team commenced the game with a clear strategy, aiming to create an advantage through their crosses, which they managed to do, although the score did not reflect their dominance.

The visitors held a two-goal lead during the second quarter (7:5, 8:6, 9:7), but Primorac then produced a stunning performance, scoring seven consecutive goals to build a four-goal cushion at 14:10.

After three quarters, our representatives led 16:12, and it appeared they were well on their way to the quarterfinals. However, they had to navigate some challenges – an attacking slump in the final seven minutes combined with defensive errors, though fortunately, they were not punished.

In the penultimate minute, Vučković scored to bring the score to 17:16, and his team skillfully maintained that lead – a crucial block by Niko Šušijašvili with roughly thirty seconds left thwarted the opponent’s opportunity for a five-pointer…

“We are thrilled with the victory and our advancement to the quarterfinals. Perhaps this wasn’t our best performance, but wins are what truly matter, and they are the most important. I hope we get lucky in the draw and can continue our European journey,” expressed Dušan Matković.

Marko Mrsic was the standout player for Primorac, netting five goals, with four goals from Shushiashvili, two each from Vučković and Dragan Drasković, and one apiece from Srdjan Janović, Savo Cetković, Nikola Brkić, and Djordjije Stanojević.

“We played excellently and with maturity for a significant portion of the game. We stood firm against their comeback in the last quarter, tightened our defense, and achieved victory,” Pasković noted.

The quarterfinal draw is scheduled for Friday at 10 AM.

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