Slovakia U18 women lost 32:33 to Montenegro in the World Championship for girls under eighteen on 6 August 2026. Both sides entered with perfect records — three wins from three, six points each sitting at the top of the table. The result leaves Montenegro still first, though Slovakia remain level on points.
And here's the thing about these encounters at this level: the margin is measured in single goals, sometimes just one. Montenegro held their nerve to take the points, extending their unbeaten run to three matches. By then, the match had already shown its character — tight, end-to-end, decided by moments rather than territory.
Each side had been scoring freely in their previous outings. Slovakia had beaten Switzerland 32:27 and dispatched Japan 32:30, while Montenegro had traded goals with Spain 33:35 and edged Germany 27:26. Neither side had dropped a point in the group stage, which made this clash of equals all the more significant.
The final scoreline tells you everything about the balance of the game. Thirty-two goals for Slovakia, thirty-three for Montenegro — enough to suggest both attacks were working, but one side found that extra fraction of quality when it mattered most.
To be fair, neither side has yet been tested by a defeat at this tournament. This loss is a setback for Slovakia, but it is not a collapse. Montenegro will take confidence from holding their composure in a match that could easily have gone either way.