Montenegro U20 W vs Serbia U20 W

Montenegro's early 5-0 unanswered run, triggered by a string of saves from Roncević, established a lead that Serbia could never neutralise. The Balkan side's 6-1 run late in the first half — turning a 13:10 lead into 19:13 at the break — effectively decided the match. Serbia's 9m shooting was particularly costly: they managed just one goal from distance against Montenegro's seven.

Natalija Lekić (Montenegro) — Named Player of the Match. The W19 EHF EURO 2025 MVP scored four goals and added two assists, orchestrating Montenegro's attack with composure. She also drew a suspension in the second half that disrupted Serbia's rhythm.

Elena Mitrović (Montenegro) — A game-high eight goals from 14 shots (57%), consistently finding gaps in the Serbian defence. Her movement between the centre-back and left-line positions created constant problems.

Teodora Roncević (Montenegro) — Goalkeeper with a 40% save efficiency, including several crucial stops during Serbia's best spells. She recorded two saves from close-range attempts in the first half that stymied Serbian momentum.

Milica Otašević (Serbia) — Serbia's top scorer with six goals from ten attempts, but her efforts were not enough to drag her team back into contention.

Montenegro's 68% shooting efficiency (34/50) dwarfed Serbia's 54% (28/52), a gap that tells the story of clinical finishing versus wasted opportunities. The 9m statistic is particularly stark: Montenegro hit seven long-range goals while Serbia managed only one, reflecting Montenegro's ability to score from distance when the Serbian defence packed the middle.

Montenegro dominated inside too, with 23 near goals to Serbia's 17, and nine goals from the 6m line compared to Serbia's seven. Each team converted four of five penalty shots. Serbia's only statistical edge was in fastbreak goals (1-0), but that single transition goal could not offset the structural deficit elsewhere.

Montenegro's fifth-place finish is their best result at the IHF Women's Junior World Championship since their bronze medal in 2010 — a significant achievement after their quarter-final defeat to France (23:33). Serbia's sixth place marks their best showing since 2012, when they finished fourth. The tournament concluded with Germany facing Denmark in the gold medal match later on 5 July, while France and Spain contested the bronze medal game.

Montenegro's firepower was too much for Serbia from the opening exchanges. The combination of Roncević's goalkeeping, Mitrović's finishing, and Lekić's all-round play proved decisive in a Balkan derby that was one-sided from the first half onward. Serbia will rue their shooting inefficiency from distance, but both teams leave China with their best finishes in over a decade.