Podgorica's Buducnost secured a 2-0 victory over Mladost DG in the First League's eighth round on Monday evening. The away side took all three points despite a difficult start, with goals from Petar Vujovic and Nikola Kovinic settling the matter. The result lifts Buducnost to fifth place on 11 points, while Mladost DG remain seventh on 10.
Vujovic gave the visitors the lead after just eight minutes, and it was enough to keep the scoreline from changing. Mladost DG pushed for an equaliser but could not find the net. By then, the visitors had already weathered the storm and were looking to extend their lead. Kovinic doubled the advantage in the 66th minute, and the game was effectively over.
There were three substitutions for Mladost DG around the hour mark, suggesting the management had already decided to change something. They brought on M. Jovanovic, A. Causevic and N. Pavlicevic together. Buducnost made their changes more sparingly, with N. Cordoba coming on in the 71st minute and I. Bojovic a few minutes later.
And here's the thing about this match — it was not a game decided by possession. Mladost DG had 57 per cent of the ball but could only muster three shots on target. Buducnost, with 43 per cent, hit the target six times and scored twice. They took fewer corners, eight to six, but were more clinical. The high line was picked apart when it mattered.
Our prediction called for an away win with 46 per cent confidence, and it came to pass. Not a spectacular display from Buducnost, but a result that fits the profile of a team that knows how to be efficient. They extended their unbeaten run to four matches across all competitions.
Mladost DG now have a gap to bridge, four points behind Buducnost with a game in hand. The hosts have won three and lost four in the league so far. It is a position they can still climb from, but they need to convert more chances. The stadium fell silent by the end, but the points are already in the bag for Podgorica.