The Mozambican senior women's basketball team lost this morning against hosts Mexico (71-65) in the first round of Group "B" of the Qualifying Tournament for the FIBA World Championship Germany-2026, which began today and will continue until next Sunday in that Central American country.

According to a Challenge newspaperAfter several setbacks related to the trip, with the Mozambican Basketball Federation even announcing that the team would withdraw, the national team arrived in Mexico in the early hours of this morning, where they played the host team at 5.30am.

Even so, Mozambique took over the game, showing its strength. They drew level in the first quarter (14-14), won the second (9-19), and then conceded in the penultimate quarter (20-19). In the final quarter, without the same physical or emotional freshness, they lost 28-13, at a stage when the refereeing trio, Franco Ronconi (Argentina), Aline García (Uruguay) and Sandra Sanchez Gonzalez (Spain) "rocked" the Mexicans.

Meanwhile, on an individual level, the highlight goes to young Célia Sumbana, who played her first game for the senior women's national team and... was the best player in the national team, with 16 points, three rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks.

Mozambique will play Montenegro again on Thursday at 1.30am and close out this stage against New Zealand on Friday at the same time (1.30am).

(Photo DR)