Portugal faces this Monday a double confrontation with France, in the debut of the 2022 Roller Hockey World Cup, in which it seeks to revalidate the title in the men’s sector and dreams of lifting the trophy for the first time in the women’s sector.
The men’s team begins to face the French from 22:45 (Lisbon time), in the debut of the competition, integrated for the third time in the World Roller Games, postponed from 2021 to 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which takes place in the Argentine city of San Juan, between this Monday and fair and November 13.
Champion in title, won in Barcelona, in 2019, after 16 years of fasting, Portugal will try to renew the trophy, which won 16 times in 44 editions and thus equal the 17 titles of Spain, current two-time European champion.
Portugal, inserted in group A, begins the defense of the title against the fourth-placed team in the last World Cup and runner-up in Europe, in the final lost in extra time to Spain (2-1), after which it will face Italy (Tuesday ) and Chile (Wednesday).
Group B is made up of the teams from Argentina, runner-up in the world in the final lost on penalties to Portugal (2-1), in a match in which goalkeeper Ângelo Girão, Spain, Angola and Mozambique stood out.
The women’s team will play the 16th edition of the World Cup with the dream of winning the first title, but, above all, with the aim of improving the fifth place achieved in the previous edition, in Barcelona (Spain).
Portugal, who lost all four of their World Cup finals, will face France from 15:00 (Lisbon time), measuring forces in group A with Spain, triple champion and holder of a record seven titles, on Tuesday, and Chile, on Wednesday.
Source: Observadora
