The injuries and cancellations of important footballers overwhelmed our team as an evil fortune, the whole short-term preparation was carried out with the "mourning" of Jovetic, Marusic, Vešović and other players whose absences have seriously shaken Tumbakovic's project in the youngest UEFA competition. Does this crushed Montenegro have enough to stop the Romanians once again, as it did two years ago in Kluzj, or outplay them, as they did a year ago in Podgorica?
"We are accustomed to problems," goalkeeper coach Dragoje Leković repeatedly said from the national camp.
"I've been here for over eight years and I do not remember that we were together for one match. We had to adapt to it, players here will show their skill and hope for a positive result. When the coach made the list, he counted on the best players, if some of the players dropped out due to injuries, the ones that have been called are not here without a good reason or criterion. Whether some other tactical ideas will have to be made, other than the ones already made is still to be seen," stated Lekovic.
The League of Nations is a short, tournament competition of only six rounds, where the only top-ranked selection goes to a higher ranking (in the next cycle it would be League B) and gets the chance to fight for the European Championship.
It is clear, therefore, how important each match is and especially in the beginning. Only three days after the match in Romania, Montenegro welcomes Lithuania under Gorica.
"The Romanians are now more dangerous and aggressive than they were before, they have more players who are ready to score. From that point they have an advantage in relation to the team from the past qualifications," said Lekovic.
Even one point in Romania would be a fantastic result for this weakened Montenegro, regardless of the fact that Romania, led by new coach Kozmin Kontrom, will not have the support from the stands due to a UEFA punishment.
"At the start of every match you hope to win, but when you play at this level, neither score is bad, because you count to win the same rival at home. Apart from Romania and Lithuania, in our group is Serbia, the first favorite. If we look at the participation in the World Cup, Serbia would be a favorite, Romania was always good at qualifying for the European Championships, and we have our own qualities, and small things will ultimately decide," concluded Lekovic.
Text by DI.M., on September 6th, 2018, read more at Vijesti
