Montenegro and Serbia will battle for gold at the 2025 European U18 Elite Championships in Oradea. Both semifinal winners produced commanding displays, sealing their victories long before the final whistle.
Semifinals
Montenegro – Italy 10:6 (2:2, 5:3, 3:0, 0:1)
Montenegro extended their flawless run to five wins with a composed and defensive masterclass against Italy. The Italians had stunned Spain in the quarterfinals through their discipline at the back, but in this match it was their defense that cracked under pressure.
After an even first quarter, Montenegro found rhythm through Todorovic and Gojkovic, establishing a 3-goal cushion at 5:2. Italy fought back to within one goal at halftime (6:5), but that was as close as they came.
The third quarter proved decisive. Montenegro’s defense shut down Italy almost entirely, while Petrovic and Stupar stretched the margin. Stupar’s long-range strike at the buzzer made it 10:5 and put the game beyond reach. Chianese pulled one back late, but the Montenegrins were already celebrating.
Stupar finished with three goals, Gojkovic added two. Chianese netted three for Italy.
Greece – Serbia 14:20 (2:5, 2:5, 5:5, 5:5)
Serbia’s route to the final has been anything but straightforward, but they saved their sharpest performance for the semifinal. A blistering start—4:0 in the opening minutes—set the tone. Greece, despite fighting back through captain Chatzis, couldn’t stem the tide.
Serbia’s defense, marshalled by goalkeeper Mihailo Gosic, repelled Greece’s extra-man chances in the first half. By halftime, Serbia commanded a 10:4 lead.
The Greeks narrowed the deficit at times in the third, but crucial stops from Gosic and a penalty conversion by Neskovic restored Serbia’s grip. In the last quarter, the Serbs calmly managed their advantage.
Chatzis scored eight goals in a heroic individual effort for Greece, with Angelopoulos adding four. Serbia, however, shared the goals across the team—Conkic and Lazic scored four each, Zelic three.
Two Paths to the Final
Montenegro and Serbia arrive at the gold-medal match with contrasting journeys.
Montenegro’s tournament has been immaculate: five games, five wins, including their narrow 9:8 victory over Serbia in the opening round of Group B. Their discipline and defensive solidity make them the most consistent team in Oradea.
Serbia, in contrast, lost three games in the group stage and only found their rhythm in the knockouts. A tense crossover win against Malta reignited their campaign, followed by a stunning 14:13 victory over Hungary in the quarterfinals. Today’s semifinal triumph proved their resilience and depth.
The final will be a rematch of that dramatic group-stage clash, this time with gold on the line.
Other Results
5th–8th place semifinals
- Spain – France 16:11
- Hungary – Croatia 18:14
9th–12th classification
- 9th place: Germany – Malta 16:17 (PSO 4:5)
- 11th place: Netherlands – Poland 18:7
Division 1, Rio Maior (Promotion to Elite)
- Semifinals: Belgium – Bulgaria 16:15 (PSO 11:11), Israel – Portugal 13:8
Belgium and Israel secured promotion to the Elite Division for the next edition of the U18 Championships.
Medal Round – August 24 (CET)
- Final: Montenegro – Serbia (18:30)
- Bronze-medal match: Italy – Greece (17:00)
- 5th-place match: Spain – Hungary (15:30)
- 7th-place match: France – Croatia (14:00)
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