The "Lions" thus recorded their first defeat in this cycle and are now at 2-1, and they will have the opportunity for a rematch on Sunday in Podgorica against the same rival.
Suzana Lazović's team played below par for most of the match – they made a large number of mistakes in both directions, missed a lot of shots... The unstoppable captain Đurđina Jauković, as well as goalkeepers Armel Atingre and Marija Marsenić, who excelled between the posts, did not fit into the general grayness tonight.
Montenegro opened the match better and took a 3:1 lead, but the Icelandic team turned it around with a 4:1 run to 5:4. Until the end of the first half, the game was mostly goal for goal – the home team had a plus two for the first time in the 20th minute (10:8), then 11:9, and our handball team responded with a mini-run of 3:0 for 12:11. Iceland equalized with seven meters before going into the break, so the score went to the break with 13:13.
The unstoppable Erlingsdottir opened the game with a penalty kick, but Jauković responded with a "bomb" from eight meters, and then Tanja Brnović scored for another turnaround - 15:14.
With a 3:0 series, the Icelandic team took the lead for the first time to plus three in the 45th minute – 20:17. After a timeout, the coach Lazović, Jauković and Nikolina Marković scored two consecutive goals for 20:19. However, the home team regained the three-goal lead in the 51st minute after a new counterattack – 23:20, and then in less than seven minutes and to a maximum difference of four after a goal into an empty net – 24:20.
After two consecutive goals by Jauković, we managed to get to 26:25, but our rivals immediately scored on an empty net for 27:25. With 40 seconds left, with Iceland leading 28:26, Jauković missed a seven-meter throw, but a player from the home team committed a foul, after which Dijana Trivić scored from the wing, but there was no time to avoid defeat...
Đurđina Jauković was the most efficient with 12 goals. She was followed by Nina Bulatović with three goals. Armel Atingre had 13, Marija Marsenić six saves.
Na drugoj strani prednjačila je Elin Klara Torkelsdotir sa 12 pogodaka. Sandra Erlingdotir dodala je sedam.
Evropsko prvenstvo na programu je od 3. do 20. decembra u Češkoj, Poljskoj, Rumuniji, Slovačkoj i Turskoj.
