Portugal lost to Montenegro by the partials of 25-21, 22-25, 20-25, 27-25 and 13-15.

The National Volleyball Team lost this Sunday 3-2 to Montenegro, in Kolasin, in a qualifying match for the 2023 European Championship, but keeps the chance of being present in the finals intact.

In the match between the two victorious private teams in the opening round, Portugal, which was still in the first set by André Marques, due to a right foot injury, lost 25-21, 22-25, 20-25, 27-25 and 13-15.

Portugal controlled the first set, which they won by 25-21, suffered an injury to André Marques forcing Miguel Cunha to an expected start, but the lack of consistency in his game led to oscillations and compromising mistakes.

The National Team lost the second and third partials, by 25-22 and 25-20, respectively, and when it seemed to have hit the ground, it reacted in the fourth partial, which led by minimal differences (13-11, 2119 and 24). -22), prevailing by 27-25.

In the black, Montenegro started better, managing an average advantage of two points, which a bad decision by the refereeing duo, by not signaling a touch on the net, raised to three (9-6) and, in the face of Portuguese despair, to five (11-6).

Portugal still reacted at the end of the partial final, recovering from a happier part of 51-6 in for a point Montenegro turned out to be decisive moments and closed the match at 15-13.

Captain Alexandre Ferreira, converted from zone 4 to opposite by coach João José, was the main scorer of the match, with 22 points, followed closely by Montenegrins Marco Bojic, with 21, Ivan Zvicer and Aleksandar Minic, both with 19.

The defeat keeps Portugal’s aspirations intact with the presence in the 2023 European Championship, since the assumptions of rectifying João José’s result still in the reception to Montenegro, on August 17, in Santo Tirso.

The Montenegro team leads group D with five points, references to two triumphs, 3-0 and 3-2, while Portugal remains in second place with four, due to a 3-0 victory and a 2-3 defeat. .

They are also part of group D, which determines the winner directly for the finals, like teams from Luxembourg, which Portugal will face on Wednesday, in Póvoa de Varzim, and on Saturday (away), and from Iceland, the country where the Portuguese team will play. the tabulation on 21 August.

In 2021, Portugal made history by qualifying as the final of the European Championship (in the eighth, Finland, Poland and the Czech Republic second edition), which it played for the time, after two years having been present in the history organized by Belgium, Slovenia, France and Holland.