Mirko Vučinić has asked Montenegro to treat the Slovakia vs Montenegro match in Košice as a chance to build habits, not chase headlines. Speaking ahead of the 18:30 kickoff at Košická futbalová aréna, the coach said his players should perform as well as possible, get used to a full stadium and, above all, get used to good results.
The game matters today because it is the next test for a Montenegro side that has just beaten Bulgaria and for a Slovakia team that has already been through a bruising qualification run. Peter Pekarik will lead Slovakia for the last time after the match, making this more than a routine international for one of the side’s longest-serving figures.
Vučinić did not dress up the message. He said the team must stay grounded, noting that players are praised when they win and slandered when they lose. Even if Montenegro comes through with another positive result, he said, the response has to be the same: keep feet on the ground and keep working.
That caution has a reason. Slovakia arrive with a reputation for being hard to handle after recently demolishing Germany in World Cup qualifying, even if they also missed out on the World Cup after being eliminated by Kosovo in the play-off semi-finals. They opened June with a 2:1 extra-time win over Malta, a reminder that their results have not always matched the size of the task in front of them.
Montenegro, though, is not walking in without confidence. Andrija Bulatović said the team played a good game against Bulgaria and won, and described Slovakia as only slightly better than that opponent. He said Montenegro is entering the match with maximum focus and dedication, with the aim of heading into the break with a win and moving on ready for the Nations League.
That leaves the contest in Košice with a clear edge: one side trying to turn a promising run into a habit, the other trying to send out a veteran with one last match in charge. Vučinić wants a team that does not need to be reminded what good results feel like. Tonight, Montenegro will find out whether it can look that way under the lights at 18:30.
