20.05.2014, 12:45
Young Montenegro team given a chance to shine

PREVIEW: Women's EHF EURO 2012 champions enter the remaining two 2014 qualifiers against Portugal and Poland with a rejuvenated team

Young Montenegro team given a chance to shine against Poland and Portugal 

EHF EURO 2012 champions Montenegro will enter their remaining two qualification matches against Poland and Portugal in June for the 2014 final tournament in Hungary and Croatia with a rejuvenated team.

Having already sealed the berth at the upcoming Women’s EHF EURO courtesy of four wins from four matches in the previous qualification rounds, head coach Dragan Adzic is in the comfortable position to rest some key players and give some talents a chance to shine.

Hence he nominated seven players from the youth national team (Ljubica Nenezic, Ana Rajkovic, Dijana Ujkic, Djurdjina Jaukovic, Vanesa Agovic, Djurdjina Malovic, Ema Ramusovic), and for those seven it will be an excellent experience for the upcoming Women’s Youth World Championship in FYR Macedonia from 20 July to 3 August.

Adzic also included two junior players, Olivera Vukcevic and Marija Mugosa.

"Thank God that we have already qualified for the EHF EURO 2014, so we can use these matches to give a chance to younger players," says Adzic.

"It will be harder to do it against Poland, but they will have their time in the match against Portugal.

"The Portugese team, however, plays a deep defence, which is complicated for inexperienced players. So, I'm not sure how much benefit they will have from that.

"But, it’s sure that 15 days of work with the senior team will be great experience for them."

Finding a good line player

Missing on the list of nominated players are some well-known names such as injured line players Suzana Lazovic and Sara Vukcevic, right wing Radmila Petrovic and goalkeeper Sonja Barjaktarovic.

"Sonja hasn’t finished her season in Russia yet, and the next one starts very early. That’s why we released her from the last two games," Adzic said.

Montenegro will play against Poland and Portugal virtually without line players, because Lazovic and Vukcevic are injured, while Ana Djokic has finished her career.

That position will be covered by 17-year-old Ema Ramusovic, who started on the left back position, but following a knee surgery she was moved to the line by Maja Savic, her coach in the youth national team.

"Ramusovic is an interesting player. She might have a chance to play against Portugal, while Jovanka Radicevic or Majda Mehmedovic will play in that position against Poland," Adzic concluded.

Montenegro’s women’s nation team will gather on 2 June. They first face Poland away in Czestochowa on 11 June before playing Portugal at home in Niksic on 15 June.

The final tournament draw for the Women’s EHF EURO 2014 will take place on 19 June at 13:00 hrs in Zagreb.

Montenegro squad for the Women’s EHF EURO 2014 qualifiers against Poland and Portugal:

Goalkeepers: Marina Vukcevic (Buducnost), Ljubica Nenezic (Danilovgrad), Ana Rajkovic (Danilovgrad)

Wingers: Majda Mehmedović (Buducnost), Biljana Pavicevic (Buducnost), Jovanka Radicevic (Vardar, FYR Macedonia), Dijana Ujkic (Danilovgrad), Marija Mugosa (Buducnost), Olivera Vukcevic (Buducnost)

Line players: Ema Ramusovic (Danilovgrad)

Back court: Marija Jovanovic (Astrakhanochka, Russia), Milena Knezevic (Buducnost), Anđela Bulatovic (Krim Mercator, Slovenia), Jelena Despotovic (MTK Vörös/Meteor Budapest, Hungary), Katarina Bulatovic (Györi Audi ETO KC, Hungary), Andrea Klikovac (Vardar, FYR Macedonia), Djurdjina Malovic (Buducnost), Vanesa Agovic (Danilovgrad)

TEXT: Saša Jončić / ts