Portugal Women Eye Euro Final in Roller Hockey Rematch with Italy

Portugal’s women opened their home European roller-hockey championship with a flourish, dispatching Italy 5-3 and reminding the partisan crowd in Paredes that the host nation still dreams of a first continental crown since 2016. Tonight the same teams square off again in the meias-finais; victory would send the Seleção into Sunday’s title game, defeat would condemn them to a scrap for bronze. For foreign residents who have only recently discovered the sport locals call hóquei em patins, the tournament is unfolding less than 35 km from Porto and offers an unusually intimate glimpse of top-tier Portuguese sporting culture.

Why it matters beyond the rink

Even if you have never laced up quad skates, the event is a crash course in how smaller Portuguese towns rally around international sport. Paredes, a furniture-making hub, has turned its municipal arena, the Pavilhão Rota dos Móveis, into a week-long festival of drumming, green-and-red scarves and late-night cafés screening replays. Hotels are full, Airbnb bookings have spiked and the local council is running free shuttle buses from the Porto-São Bento railway line. For expatriates, it is a chance to blend with crowds that are less touristy than those you meet at Estádio do Dragão or the Algarve’s golf resorts, and to practice real-world Portuguese while ordering a "fino" at halftime.

How the opener tilted Portugal’s way

Italy stunned the building by scoring after 39 seconds, but Portugal’s reply was emphatic. By minute 15 the home side had rattled in three goals, capitalising on an Italian cartão azul that left the visitors short-handed. Goalkeeper Sandra Coelho preserved the advantage with a penalty save early in the second half, and late strikes from Sofia Moncóvio and Maria Sofia Silva restored breathing room after Italy had closed to 3-2. The 5-3 scoreline was tighter than the run of play—Portugal out-shot Italy 27-14—yet decisive enough to bank three points and calm first-night nerves in a tournament that will be settled over just six days.

The faces behind the numbers

Local media have obsessed over striker Leonor Coelho, but the opener showcased Portugal’s depth. Raquel Santos danced through traffic for the second goal, while veteran Catarina Costa controlled tempo from the high slot. Italy’s 14-year-old Emma Cazzola impressed in a cameo, a reminder that the Azzurre are rebuilding for the long haul. Coaches on both benches praised the sport’s accelerating youth pipeline: five of the skaters on court were teenagers and seven juggle university classes with elite training.

Current standings and the road ahead

Group A closed with Spain perfect on 9 points, Portugal on 6, Italy on 3 and France pointless. A comedic 24-0 quarter-final against England inflated the hosts’ goal difference but, more importantly, allowed manager Ricardo Barreiros to rotate his bench. Tonight’s semi is therefore a tactical reset: Italy can lean on video of last Sunday’s meeting, Portugal must avoid complacency in front of a capacity crowd of 1 700. The winner faces Spain or France in Sunday’s final; the loser heads to a 3rd-place playoff that offers far less glory but equal share of bruises.

Iberian-Mediterranean rivalry in context

Although football steals headlines, roller-hockey has been contested between Portugal and Italy since the 1930s. In the women’s game Portugal have dominated recent showdowns, including a 2-0 triumph in the 2024 World Cup semi-final. Yet Italy grabbed historic victories in 2018 and 2012 and have a habit of spoiling parties on Portuguese soil. Tonight’s repeat meeting thus carries both psychological baggage and a chance for redemption scarcely 96 hours after the group-stage clash.

What they said after the first whistle

Barreiros lauded his side’s "competência" but admitted that first-night anxiety led to "erros desnecessários". Forward Catarina Costa echoed the theme: “Sofrer o primeiro golo forçou-nos a acordar.” Italian captain Elena Tamiozzo credited Portugal’s pace yet insisted her squad "aprendeu imenso" from the defeat and would defend deeper in the rematch. The diplomatic tone masks an undercurrent of urgency; neither programme is flush with corporate funding, and a podium finish can unlock next season’s state subsidies.

If you plan to attend—or just watch from Lisbon

Trains from Porto Campanhã to Paredes run hourly and cost about €4 each way; the shuttle to the arena departs directly outside the station. Walk-up tickets start at €6, but semifinals usually sell out by mid-afternoon. Sport TV + carries every match nationwide, while the European Confederation streams for free at eurohockey2025.com. For the full live-music-and-grilled-chouriço experience, arrive early: neighbourhood associations erect pop-up bars along Avenida da República, and the pre-game percussion rivals any marchas populares you may have heard in Lisbon. Whether you chase the gold-medal match or duck in for a single evening, the event distils Portugal’s passion for niche sports—and offers foreign residents an affordable, authentic night out away from the usual tourist track.