Maputo – The eyes of a nation will be on free-spirited forward Geny Catamo as Mozambique plot an unlikely fairy tale run on their return to the Africa Cup of Nations after a 14-year absence.
Drawn alongside Ghana, Egypt and Cape Verde in a daunting Group C, the southern Africans – known as the Mambas – are rank outsiders to reach the knockout rounds for the first time in their history.
Yet in the unpredictable Catamo, the Mambas possess a maverick match-winner capable of unlocking the staunchest of defences with his mesmerising dribbles and assists.
Nicknamed ‘Gato’, the versatile attacker can operate anywhere across the front line, though usually features on the right wing or as a supporting striker.
What makes the 25-year-old such a handful is his ability to drift into spaces and take up dangerous central positions more akin to a classic number 10 playmaker.
Catamo’s clever movement means markers struggle to track his wanders across the final third, occasionally allowing Mambas right-back Reinildo to maraud forwards while Catamo temporarily slots in behind him.
After coming through the ranks at Costa do Sol, Catamo’s trickery earned him a move to South African heavyweights Mamelodi Sundowns in 2021 where he has continued to develop.
Now integral to the national team under manager Chiquinho Condé, the Mambas will rely heavily on Catamo’s ingenuity to break down reputed defences like Egypt’s if they are to achieve the unachievable in Cameroon.
