Serb&Mont - Russia 31-27

Dyadechko (Russia) blocks Savic (PHOTO: AFP)

Zagreb, CROATIA, December 9, 2003 (www.wwhc2003.hr) - After that lead for the Russians, up to the 15th minute they managed to have an advantage of a goal or two, but then the Serbs and Montenegrins leveled the score at 8:8, after Bojana Petrovic's penalty shot. The S&M coach decided to switch goalkeepers in the 20th minute, instead of Ana Vojcic in came Sladjana Djeric. The first lead for S&M came in the 23rd minute, after Maja Savic scored from a fast-break, it was her fourth goal and a 12:11 advantage. The Russians failed to capitalize two good opportunities and Popovic increased the lead to 14:11. Two fast-breaks from Smirnova and Bodnieva brought the Russians back to 14:13, but Bojana Popovic's goal at the half-time buzzer restored S&M's two goal lead, 16:14.

The Serbs and Montenegrins entered the second half even more ready to do well, and after nine minutes escaped to a more significant, 21:17 lead, while two more mistakes from the Russians brought them a plus of five goals, 23:18. Then came a period of a slight slide in Serbia and Montenegro's game, and the Russians used that to cut the deficit to only one goal (25:24). Entering the last seven minutes, the team from S&M had a 27:25 lead, after Ana Batinic's goal. They had the excellent Djeric in goal, but rebounds from her saves didn't fall into teammates' hands, so the Russians again managed to decrease the deficit to only one goal, after Pazich scored in their third attempt. Thereafter followed problems for Russia, with Petrovic and Budimir increasing the lead to three goals (29:26). Two minutes before the end Oxana Romenskaya brought the Russians closer, it was 29:27, but Andrijana Budimir converted a fast-break to bring the old distance in score back. Two seconds before the final buzzer came the final goal of the game, Bojana Petrovic scored for 31:27.

Besides Bojana Petrovic, who scored ten goals, the Serbs and Montenegrins had fine contributions from Andrijana Budimir (six goals) and Maja Savic (five). Nadezda Muravyeva led the Russians, with six goals. Both teams didn't get much help from their goalkeepers. The S&M duo Vojcic - Djeric managed nine saves, while Alizar and Suslina clocked only 12 saves.

Spain     3   2   0   1   85-81   4
France    3   2   0   1   80-77   4
Russia    3   2   0   1   85-83   4
Korea     3   2   0   1   91-89   4
Serb&Mont 3   1   0   2   83-87   2
Austria   3   0   0   3   86-96   0

Ukraine   3   2   1   0   84-82   5
Norway    3   2   0   1   89-81   4
Hungary   3   2   0   1   85-82   4
Germany   3   1   0   2   88-87   2
Slovenia  3   1   0   2   79-92   2
Romania   3   0   1   1   76-87   1