The Mozambican national roller hockey team begins its participation in the World Roller Hockey Championship this Monday, September 16th, at 6:00 PM, facing Mexico in the "Challengers Championship," equivalent to the third division of the world championship. The competition, which takes place in Novara, Italy, will run until the 22nd of this month, marking a new beginning for Mozambican hockey.
Preparation and Context
The Mambas de Patins (Mozambique's national skating team) held a 'mini-training camp' in Portugal as part of their preparation for the tournament. During this phase, the team worked intensively to arrive in top form for their debut, facing a competition with the goal of repositioning Mozambique on the world skating stage.
National Team Coach Bruno Pimentel opted to include only players trained at clubs in the country's capital, breaking with the recent tradition of calling up Portuguese-Mozambican athletes. Among those called up, four players currently playing in Portugal stand out: Diogo Pimentel, Kelvin Pimentel, Gabriel Pimentel (all trained at Desportivo de Maputo) and Pedro Tivane Júnior (trained at Ferroviário de Maputo). In addition to them, other players such as Artur (Estrela Vermelha), Absalão, Pedro Pimentel Júnior and Macário (all from Desportivo), as well as goalkeepers Júlio (Ferroviário de Maputo) and Fedinho (Desportivo), complete the team.
Opponents and Expectations
In the group stage, Mozambique will face, in addition to Mexico, the national teams of Japan, Uruguay, Israel, and New Zealand. Coach Bruno Pimentel anticipates a difficult participation, emphasizing that Uruguay and New Zealand are theoretically stronger opponents, based on knowledge from past competitions. However, Pimentel also warned that all teams, including Mexico, Japan, and Israel, represent unknown challenges, since their current form is uncertain.
The schedule for Mozambique's games is as follows:
- September 16th Mozambique vs. Mexico (6:00 PM)
- September 17th Mozambique vs. Japan (6:00 PM)
- September 18th Mozambique vs. Uruguay (2:00 PM)
- September 19th Mozambique vs. Israel (10:00)
- September 20th Mozambique vs. New Zealand (6:00 PM)
The Rebirth of Mozambican Hockey
Mozambique's participation in this competition is seen as an important milestone in the revitalization of roller hockey in the country. After years of difficulties and challenges, the World Championship symbolizes the beginning of a new era for the sport, which has already had moments of glory, including its presence in the world's first division. Now, the national team competes in the third division, but the spirit of reconstruction is evident.
Bruno Pimentel commented on the current situation of the sport: “We are really trying to restart roller hockey in Mozambique, with groundwork involving not only the players, but also managers, coaches and referees. It is hard work that will require sacrifice from many people.”
This tournament, therefore, is not just a sporting competition, but a symbol of rebirth and renewal for Mozambican hockey. The ambition is clear: to put Mozambique back on the world map of the sport and recover its former prestige.
