Suzana Lazovic’s Montenegro showed their complete game in Trier as they saw off a spirited Faroe Islands, who were making their senior world championship debut at Germany/Netherlands 2025

Group D
Montenegro vs Faroe Islands 32:27 (15:13)

The excitement in the SWT Arena in Trier was palpable ahead of this historic day for the Faroese women who were the first team from the North Atlantic nation to appear at a senior global handball event.

Behind the scenes, just before the team was introduced onto the court, the Faroes, led by captain Pernille Brandenborg, could not hide their happiness of representing their country. This happiness were double-downed when they entered the court to the cheers of over 200 fans from home singing and chanting their names as they came into battle one by one.

Their first-ever seven – Rakul Wardum, Jana Mittun, Brandenborg, Rannva Olsen, Liv Poulsen, Maria Nolsoy and Suna Hansen – then set about opening the scoring, but, under passive play, Nolsoy’s shot was blocked and the ball turned over, Montenegro taking the lead shortly after.

Eventually, Hansen broke through to score that historic first goal, with a pair of Brandenborg seven-metres putting her side two clear (5:3) in the eighth minute, held until the 10th as the inspiring Matea Pletikosic gradually warmed up her magic wand and begun directing play for Montenegro.

Her breakthrough goal in the 14th minute put her side ahead by two (10:8), with both sides running at full throttle. A timeout was called by the Faroes as they looked to improve their shooting efficiency (62%), but, in goal Armelle Attingre was quickly showing just how key she is to her Montenegro side, even continuing to save despite appearing to hurt her hand early on.

By the 15th minute she had already recorded four saves and pushed the Faroes into utilising their 7v6 attack with just seven court players used in that opening quarter – to the background sound of a variety of songs coming from the Faroe Islands fans camped in one of the corners of the SWT Arena.

The pace of play was unsustainable and the game slowed down in the 20th minute as Attingre produced another save to ensure the Faroes did not come within one before the break, coach Lazovic calling a time out five minutes before the half-time break to calm nerves, restore focus and ensure that daylight was in place by the break (15:13).

With Brandenborg and the Faroes coaching team of Claus Mogensen and Simon Olsen speaking on court at the break, plans were afoot to make changes in the second period, but with just a 54% shooting efficiency it was evident what needed to change.

Montenegro proceeded to turn the screw early in the second half, racing to a five-goal lead (19:14) prompting another time out from the Faroes (36th minute), whose attempts to come back into the game were curtailed by a second two-minute suspension for Brandenborg with 12 minutes remaining.

But this did not stop the incredible Attingre – ending with 17 saves in total (45%), including the final long-range attempt from the Faroes, who will now look to their next clash, against Spain on Friday with a world championship game in their locker. Montenegro face Paraguay.

hummel Player of the Match: Jana Mittun (Faroe Islands)