The Sharks crushed China in the last group stage match of the World Championship in Singapore with a whopping score of 30:22, 33:53 (by quarters). But don’t get fooled — Montenegro’s coach Dejan Savić is far from happy. Despite the expected win, Savić openly admitted the team’s approach was far from ideal. “We’ve entered the infamous oscillations, a lot needs fixing,” he said after the game.
The Sharks dominated the underdog, but the coach believes the team could and should have played better, especially since they knew victory was guaranteed. Now, all eyes are on the knockout stage, where Montenegro awaits either Brazil or Canada. The outcome depends on the Croatia vs Greece match. If Croatia wins, Montenegro will face Canada; if Greece wins by at least two goals, Brazil will be the opponent.
The match against China wasn’t close in score but was physically demanding, as confirmed by player Aljoša Mačić. Dmitri Holod, Jovan Vujović, Dušan Banićević, and Aljoša Mačić each scored two goals, while Savo Ćetković, Filip Gardašević, Dušan Marković, Balša Vučković, and Strahinja Gojković added one each.
Coach Savić made it clear that it’s time for serious work and focus because the knockout stage brings much bigger challenges. “We must concentrate and fix everything that wasn’t good,” he warned. The Sharks showed strength but are not immune to slumps in play. Whether they can pull themselves together and fight for a medal remains to be seen.
If you thought beating China meant everything’s perfect, think again. This is just the beginning, and the real battle is yet to come. The Sharks need to snap out of it or risk being devoured in the knockout round. So, what do you think — will Montenegro shake off the oscillations and show their true face? Drop a comment, let’s see who’s the optimist and who’s the pessimist in this water polo drama!
