Slovenia and Montenegro played the most exciting match of the championship so far, and the Slovenians won 41:40 in a spectacle of 81 hits.
Slovenia won in the last moments vs Montenegro.
He scored 11 goals tonight, Branko VUJOVIC is the @grundfos Player of the match #ehfeuro2026 #puregreatness #handball #BREAKDOWN pic.twitter.com/2ha98LZ2wn
— EHF EURO (@EHFEURO) January 16, 2026
The first half was dominated by Slovenia, which constantly led and went to the break with a 19:18 lead.
Montenegro took the lead for the first time in the 35th minute, and had the advantage during the next 15 minutes. At no time was the lead more than two goals, but Slovenia returned to the lead in the 53rd minute after two consecutive goals by Tilen Kodrin for 35:34.
The last tie was the one from 37:37 in the 55th minute, and Slovenia won in a heartbreaking finish thanks to Borut Mačkovšek’s goal for 41:39 just 24 seconds before the end. In the end, Branko Vujović only softened the defeat of Montenegro.
Domen Makuc and Domen Novak were the most effective in the winning team with nine goals each, while Blaž Janc scored eight. Branko Vujović scored 11 goals for Montenegro, and Miloš Vujović scored nine.
Montenegro and Slovenia thus set a European championship record for the number of goals (81) in one game. The previous record was held by the match between Belarus and Iceland from the group stage in 2016, when 77 goals were scored (39:38).
NEW ALL-TIME RECORD!
Most goals in a single game at a European Championship all-time:
81: Slovenia 41-40 Montenegro
77: Belarus 39-38 Iceland (group, 2016)
74: Austria 37-37 Iceland (group, 2010)
74: Lithuania 38-36 (ET) (9th place, 1998)
74: Portugal 40-34 Romania…— Rasmus Boysen (@RasmusBoysen92) January 16, 2026
Not only that, this is the record for the number of goals scored in one game in all three major handball competitions (European and World Championships and the Olympic Games). So far, the record was held by the matches between Russia and Romania and Slovenia and South Korea at the world championships, where 80 goals were scored each.
Slovenia 41-40 Montenegro!
It’s an all-time record for most goals at a handball championship (OG, EC, WC)!
81: Slovenia 41-40 Montenegro
80: Russia 42-38 Romania (WC 2003)
80: Slovenia 51-29 Korea (WC 2021)
77: Denmark 47-30 Japan (OG 2020)
77: Belarus 39-38 Iceland (2016)…— Rasmus Boysen (@RasmusBoysen92) January 16, 2026
(Vijesti.ba)
