Montenegro sweat, but beat plucky Paraguay in Neu-Ulm

Heavy favourites before the match against Paraguay, Montenegro had to sweat until the final minutes to clinch a crucial win, 30:25, in the Olympic Qualification Tournament #3, in Neu-Ulm, but questions about their form have been raised, with opponents Germany and Slovenia put on alert.

Olympic Qualification Tournament #3
Montenegro vs Paraguay 30:25 (17:12)

For 20 minutes, it looked like Paraguay can match Montenegro, delivering one of the most complete performances, if not the best match in decades, as the South American team even took a 11:10 lead against the team which won the bronze at the EHF EURO 2022 and finished seventh at the 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship.

For a team which failed to win any match against an European opponent, that meant a lot, irrespective of the final result, as Marizza Faria’s side matched Montenegro both in attack and in defence, with diminutive left back Maria Fernandez Estigarribia shining on the court, with five goals and five assists in the first half.

But Montenegro’s experience was crucial in delivering a comeback, as the end of the first half saw the European side create a 6:0 unanswered run, to take a commanding 17:12 lead at the break, with left wing Dijana Mugoša scoring seven goals throughout the first 30 minutes and helping Montenegro cement their position.

It looked like it was game over, but the truth is that Montenegro really had an off evening in Neu-Ulm, enabling Paraguay to apply exactly the pressure needed to force Bojana Popovic’s side to fight until the end, wasting precious physical resources.

While Marina Rajcic had a good outing, saving six shots for a 33% saving efficiency, Paraguay continued to press and right back Fernanda Insfran took over, scoring four times in the first 15 minutes of the second half, as the outsiders, the third-placed side at the 2023 Pan American Games, made the match even more interesting, cutting the gap to a single goal, 22:23, with 13 minutes to go on the clock.

A plucky Paraguay side continued to press, as coach Marizza Faria preached caution during a team time-out called after 52 minutes, when her side was only two goals down, 25:23, with Montenegro still trying to find their rhythm in attack, where they continued to waste precious chances, including eight one-on-one situations.

A pair of goals from experienced left back Jelena Despotović sealed the deal for Montenegro, as they went on a 4:0 unanswered run to seal the win, 30:25, with Paraguay’s attack collapsing in the dying minutes of the match, leaving the players in tears, after an outstanding performance, one of the best in their history, just four months removed after a 26:41 loss against Montenegro.

After a one-day rest, Montenegro will play against Germany, in a pivotal match on Saturday, while Paraguay continue their all-European opponent tour, as they face Slovenia, another team which they hope to put pressure on.

hummel Player of the Match: Fernanda Insfran Mora (Paraguay)