Lovćen is increasingly positioned to defend its title in the SBbet Prva liga for handball after a significant victory over Budućnost Podgorica, winning 30:26. This match, held on October 15, 2023, marked another highlight for the team, which had previously triumphed over Budvanska Rivijera with a score of 31:27 at the beginning of the second half of the season. The victory against Budućnost now places Lovćen two points ahead of Rivijera and four points clear of Budućnost, who have played one additional match.
The game saw a dramatic shift in momentum during the final ten minutes, with Lovćen overcoming a deficit that had persisted for most of the match. Budućnost took an early lead, scoring 6:3 by the 14th minute. Lovćen responded with a successful 3:0 run to level the score, but Budućnost regained control, leading 15:11 just before halftime.
As the second half progressed, Budućnost and Lovćen exchanged leads multiple times, with the score tied at 15:15, 16:16, and 17:17. The turning point came when Vladimir Stanković scored two consecutive goals in the 50th minute, granting Lovćen its first lead of the match at 22:23. Milan Popović then added to the tally, pushing the score to 23:25.
With the score at 25:26, Lovćen’s goalkeeper, Vasilije Vujović, made a crucial save against Andrija Radovanović, allowing Lovćen to extend their lead to 25:27 following a timeout. Bogdan Petričević then scored, increasing the advantage to three goals with only 3:41 remaining. Budućnost struggled to respond, committing errors that sealed their fate.
Petričević was a standout player, scoring eight goals from ten attempts and earning the title of Player of the Match. Stanković contributed six goals, while both Popović and Nikola Andrić added five each. Vujović’s performance was also noteworthy, with 12 saves. On the opposing side, Vuko Borilović stopped 14 shots, with Emir Đulović and Savo Slavuljica leading Budućnost’s scoring efforts with seven goals each.
With this victory, Lovćen is on track to reclaim the championship title, while Budućnost’s chances appear significantly diminished as they prepare for the upcoming Mini League for the championship.
