After a challenging spell on the sidelines, England-born Reggae Boyz defender Amari’i Bell is back with the national team and is already setting his sights on greater success.

Bell, a seasoned fullback who has been a key figure for Jamaica, is thrilled to rejoin his teammates and play under new head coach Steve McClaren, with their first assignment being the 2024/25 Concacaf Nations League.

The Reggae Boyz are set to host Cuba at the National Stadium on Friday before travelling to face Honduras four days later.

Bell, who missed significant time for both club and country due to a torn hamstring for which he had to do a repair surgery, expressed his excitement about returning to the Jamaican squad.

“It feels amazing to be back; it's been a long time now, but, you know, I'm happy to be here. It’s been tough being away from the pitch, and it was a big injury, one of my first of my career, so mentally it was hard to get back in a good place. But I went through the rough patch, and I'm now feeling good. I'm in good spirits and ready to go,” Bell shared.

“Like I said, it was a long time out and I had my ups and downs through the rehab process, but towards the end of it, I started to see the light a lot more and, yeah, mentally, my head is in a much better place,” he added.

Bell’s return comes at a crucial time for Jamaica, as they aim to build on their third-place finish in the last edition of the Concacaf Nations League.

The team’s performance was commendable, but Bell believes they have the potential to go all the way this time around, particularly with the guidance of McClaren, who brings a wealth of experience to the team.

McClaren, who has managed clubs in England’s Premier League and served as an assistant coach for the England national team, is known for his tactical acumen and ability to get the best out of his players.

“Yeah, for sure, for sure. Finishing third was a strong result, but we know we have the ability to do even better, so the plan is to go one step better this time and win it. That's the plan, and there's no reason why we can't do it. Everybody believes in ourselves and what we can do. So, yeah, we're going to go for it,” Bell said.

With his presence, Bell, who has 17 international caps since making his debut in 2021, adds depth and experience to Jamaica’s defensive line, a critical component as they aim to stifle the opposition in what promises to be a highly competitive tournament.

The 30-year-old’s ability to balance defensive duties with attacking support makes him a vital asset to the team’s ambitions.

“We’ve been building something special with this group. The chemistry is there, and the belief is growing. We know that winning the Nations League is a realistic goal, and we’re all committed to making it happen. We didn't do well in the Copa America as we thought we could have, but it's stepping stones,” Bell, who has two Concacaf Gold Cup and a Copa America appearance, noted.

For Bell, the opportunity to lift the Concacaf Nations League trophy would be a career-defining moment, much like it was when his club Luton Town earned promotion to the English Premier League (EPL).

Though his EPL experience was cut short due to the injury, Bell is eager to relive the experience.

“Yeah, man, that (Premier League experience) was amazing. It is something that everyone aspires to do in their career, and, you know, thankfully I got there. Unfortunately, it was cut short by the injury, so I still feel like I've got unfinished business there, and the aim with Luton is to get back promoted,” Bell declared.

Jamaica's Reggae Boyz have made a crucial adjustment to their squad for the September window of the CONCACAF Nations League, calling up Jamal Lowe to replace the injured Leon Bailey. Bailey sustained an injury during Aston Villa's 2-1 victory over Leicester City in the English Premier League on Saturday, forcing him to withdraw from the national team.

Lowe, known for his versatility and attacking prowess, has been drafted in to fill the void left by Bailey. Lowe, who plays for Swansea City in the English Championship, will join the squad as they prepare for their opening match against Cuba at the National Stadium on September 6. This match is critical for the Reggae Boyz as they aim to start their campaign on a strong note.

The Reggae Boyz coaching staff expressed their disappointment at Bailey's injury but extended their best wishes for his recovery. "We wish Leon a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him back in action soon," a team spokesperson said. 

Following the match against Cuba, Jamaica will continue their CONCACAF Nations League journey with another important fixture against Honduras. These matches will be vital for Jamaica as they look to advance in the competition and strengthen their position on the international stage.

 

 

Newly appointed Reggae Boyz head coach Steve McClaren has made a bold move ahead of Jamaica's CONCACAF Nations League match against Cuba, set for September 6 at the National Stadium in Kingston. McClaren has recalled Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey, whose recent history with the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has been marked by controversy.

 In June 2024, the JFF temporarily suspended Bailey from the senior Men's National Team due to his public comments and decision not to participate in the Copa America 2024, despite being selected. The federation cited Bailey's expressed desire to take a break from national duties, and the suspension was intended to prevent further miscommunication and manage the situation.

However, McClaren, who took over as head coach recently, has decided to give Bailey a fresh start, offering him a chance to rejoin the national team. The JFF stipulated that Bailey must first clear the air with the federation through a formal letter before being considered for selection. This condition has apparently been met, as Bailey is now named in the squad for the crucial encounter against Cuba.

Joining Bailey in the squad is Demarai Gray, who returns after recovering from injury to strengthen the Reggae Boyz's attacking options. Norman Campbell, who currently plays for Randers FC in Denmark and last represented Jamaica in 2021, has also been recalled. The attacking line-up is further bolstered by Shamar Nicholson and Kaheim Dixon, the latter having recently joined Charlton Athletic.

 In midfield, McClaren has selected Kasey Palmer, Karoy Anderson, Bobby Reid, Jon Russell, and Adrian Reid Jr., all of whom will play pivotal roles in controlling the game against Cuba.

The defensive unit includes Dexter Lembikisa, Di’Shon Bernard, Greg Leigh, Damion Lowe, Michael Hector, Richard King, Amari’I Bell, Joel Lattibeaudierre, and Ethan Pinnock. These defenders will be tasked with keeping Cuba’s attack at bay in what promises to be a competitive fixture.

The goalkeeping responsibilities will be shared among Andre Blake, Coniag Boyce Clarke, and Jahmali Waite, who have all been named in the squad.

This September 6 clash marks a significant moment for the Reggae Boyz as they aim to assert their dominance in the CONCACAF Nations League and move past the controversies that have recently surrounded the team. McClaren's decision to recall Bailey is sure to draw attention, and all eyes will be on the National Stadium to see how the team performs under his leadership.

 

 

 

Jamaica’s Chavez Penn and Cuban duo Gian Baxter and Anthony Martinez failed to make the podium in the men’s triple jump final at the World Under-20 Championships on what was another topsy-turvy day for Caribbean athletes in Lima, Peru.

With only the three women’s 100m medals credited to the Caribbean so far at the five-day championships, there were slight hopes that the tally might have been increased on Thursday’s third day of action, but it was not to be.

Martinez (15.00m) and Penn (14.71m) struggled for rhythm in the hop, skip, and jump event and, as such, placed 10th and 11th, respectively, while Baxter, who got into the final eight, placed sixth with a best leap of 16.58m.

Prior to that, only Jamaica’s Kerrica Hill and Cuba’s Jocelyn Echazabal progressed in the women’s 100m hurdles final, and it will also be a Jamaica-Cuba combination for the men’s 110m hurdles final, as only Richard Hall and Yander Herrera safely navigated the semi-final round.

Echazabal (13.31s) booked her spot in the final with a second-place finish in semi-final one, while Jamaica’s Habiba Harris (13.64s) placed

Hill continued her charge towards the gold medal, as she won semi-final two in a flat 13.00s, while Maya Rollins (13.96s) of Barbados finished down the track.

On the men’s side, Jamaica’s Daniel Beckford (13.80s) missed out, as he placed sixth in his semi-final.

Cuba’s Herrera placed fourth in his semi-final, but his 13.62s was good enough for one of the two non-automatic qualifying spots, while Jamaican Hall (13.44s) placed second in semi-final three, behind American Ja’Kobe Tharp, who clocked a World Under-20 leading mark of 13.11s.

The sprint hurdles finals are scheduled for 5:05pm and 5:25pm Jamaica time on Friday.

Meanwhile, Adaejah Hodge of British Virgin Islands and Jamaica’s Shanoya Douglas will be present in the women’s 200m final, while Carlos Brown of the Bahamas will be the sole Caribbean representative in the men’s event.

Hodge, the 100m silver medallist, topped semi-final two in an easy 23.18s, while Jamaica’s Sabrina Dockery (23.75s) placed fourth and missed out.

Douglas (23.34s) placed second in the third semi-final to secure her spot in the medal event.

Guyana’s Jackson Clarke (21.88s), Jamaica’s Romario Hines (21.68s) and Barbadian Aragorn Straker (21.30s), finished seventh, fourth and fifth in their respective semi-finals and missed out, as Brown Jr (21.19s) placed third and booked one of the fastest non-automatic qualifying spots.

The 200m finals are scheduled for 6:35pm Jamaica time also on Friday.

Jamaica’s shot putter Shaiquan Dunn and the mixed 4x400m relay quartet both failed to get the country on the medal board at the World Under-20 Championships despite credible efforts in their respective finals in Lima, Peru, on Tuesday.

With both finalists on the cards, expectations were high that Jamaica would bring the curtains down on the opening day of the five-day championships with at least one medal, but it was not to be.

The quartet of Demarco Bennett, Shanniqua Williams, Marcinho Rose, and Alliah Baker entered the final with the fastest time, but struggled to keep pace with the early front runners and had to settle for fourth at the end.

They clocked a season’s best 3:22.74, behind the Australians, who won in a national record of 3:19.27. Poland (3:20.44) and China (3:21.27) were second and third.

Meanwhile, Dunn, contesting the shot put final, took his time to get going and, as such, was unable to get anywhere close to his personal best of 20.01. He placed ninth as he failed to register a mark on his first attempt, but later hit 18.92m on his third round effort and just failed to squeeze into the top eight to secure three additional throws.

Cuba’s Emmanuel Ramirez was 10th with a best throw of 18.42.

While expressing his excitement as he prepares to lead the country into Concacaf Nations League battle, recently appointed Reggae Boyz Head coach Steve McClaren also warned against complacency all-round, mindful that the main objective is qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Englishman is under no illusions that the challenge ahead will be easy but remains confident in the Reggae Boyz ability to perform at the highest level. The Boyz will bow into Nations League action on September 6 against Cuba at the National Stadium before visiting Honduras on September 10.

They will then visit Nicaragua on October 10, followed by a return-leg fixture against Honduras on October 14.

“I’m excited; I’ve been excited from day one. The biggest thing is to get started. I’ve called a few players and watched a few games in getting ready for Cuba on September 6. The Reggae Boyz have  great potential and I’m very proud to be a part of this journey, as it’s a privilege for anybody to coach a national team because you are representing a country,” McClaren said during an interview with Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) media.

McLaren, who boasts a wealth of experience coaching in and around Europe, including a stint as Manchester United’s assistant coach, underscored that the Nations League will serve as a crucial stepping stone in the team's preparation for World Cup qualification, offering them a platform to build momentum and fine-tune their strategies.

With the powerhouses Mexico, the United States, and Canada already qualifying for the World Cup as hosts, McLaren knows they can take nothing for granted, as every other team across the region will fancy their chances of booking a spot at the global showpiece.

“Every team in the Caribbean now will be thinking they have a chance. In football, there’s never an easy game; complacency is the biggest killer of all,” McLaren noted.

“Therefore, we can’t be complacent in the Nations League or the qualifiers for the World Cup. We must be committed, we must want to be here, and we must all be aligned to the goal of World Cup 2026, from the president [Michael Ricketts] all the way down,” the former England manager added.

That said, the 63-year-old welcomed the camaraderie among the current crop of players, which he believes will make his job that much easier, as his aim was always to ensure there was such a foundation.

“They look like they have great togetherness. I have spoken to players and staff, and everybody loves coming to join up for Jamaica. You have got to enjoy what you do, and that’s a great advantage. All I want to do is carry on with the good work that has gone on,” McLaren declared.

Jamaica’s young Reggae Boyz ended their failed Concacaf Men's Under-20 Championship campaign without a goal or a point after a 0-3 loss to Cuba in their final Group A fixture at the Estadio Leon in Mexico on Friday.

With the victory, Cuba finished third in the group on four points and booked their spot in the quarterfinal round as one of the two best third-place teams. They join group winners United States, who finished with maximum nine points following their 1-0 win over runners-up Costa Rica (four points).

The Jamaicans were again undone by poor defending and a lack of offensive intent, which basically summed up their presence in the tournament, as they showed very little quality from the start.

In fact, they had a slim opportunity to bring their campaign to life but needed to beat Cuba to make it possible. Instead, it was the Spanish-speaking Caribbean team that marched on, as Michael Camejo dazzled Jamaica’s defence with nippy footwork before firing home in the 35th minute.

Cuba doubled their lead in the 42nd courtesy of David Perez, who capitalised on a defensive error.

Romain Blake got Jamaica’s lone attempt on target in the 47th, but was denied by Yurdy Hodelin.

Karel Pérez then wrapped up victory for Cuba when he converted from the penalty spot in the 86th.

Cuba will face the Group B winner, Honduras, in the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, United States, through an all-important strike from Nikolas Tsakiris, his second of the tournament, saw off 10-man Costa Rica.

After Aiden Harangi’s early effort was denied by the crossbar, Tsakiris then found the game’s solitary goal in the 37th to ensure three-time champions United States remained unbeaten heading into the knockout stage.

Costa Rica lost Alberth Barahona to a straight red card in the 50th minute.

United States, the reigning champions, will square off against the best third-place team from either Group B or C in the quarterfinal.

Elsewhere, Canada and Honduras also booked their spots in the quarterfinal after contrasting 2-1 and 5-2 victories over El Salvador and Dominican Republic in their final Group B encounters at the Sergio Leon Chavez Stadium.

Both Canada and Honduras ended on seven points each, but the latter secured top spot by virtue of a superior goal difference.

Canada await the runner-up of Group C.

Cuba's Reidy Cardano Blanco progressed to the quarterfinal of the Men's Single Scull, while Bermuda's Dara Alizadeh will contest the Repechage round after placing third and fifth in their respective heats of the rowing competition, which got the Paris Olympic Games under way at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium on Saturday.

Though quick at the start, Blanco couldn’t match the pace of his more fancied rivals and settled for third in seven minutes and six seconds (7:06.45) to book his spot in the next round. Germany’s Oliver Zeidler (6:54.72) and Uruguay’s Bruno Cetraro (7:04.04) were the top two finishers in that heat.

Prior to the 28-year-old Spanish-speaking Caribbean representative’s feat in heat five, Alizadeh was the first Caribbean athlete in action at this edition of the global multi-sport showpiece. He crossed the line in seven minutes and 23 seconds (7:23.70) as he just missed out on a top-three automatic qualifying spot to the quarterfinal from heat four.

However, the Bermudan will have another chance to qualify for a spot through the repechage round to be contested on Sunday.

Alizadeh, 30, who switched from team to individual competition in 2019, after a few medal-winning feats, also represented Bermuda at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where he placed 18th in the single sculls.

Despite a slightly improved performance, Jamaica’s young Reggae Boyz suffered another defeat and is now all but out of contention at the Concacaf Men's Under-20 Championship, as Costa Rica and United States seem set to secure the top two Group A spots to the quarterfinals in Mexico.

In fact, United States, who registered a 4-0 win over Cuba, are already through to the knockout stages as they lead the group on six points, while Costa Rica’s 3-0 win over Jamaica propelled them into second place on four points. Cuba sits third on a point, while the young Reggae Boyz, are yet to get on the board.

The young Reggae Boyz, looked much better than they did in a 0-9 trouncing to United States, but their misery continued on Monday at the Miguel Aleman Valdez Stadium in Celaya.

This, as they lost Makai Bond Welch to a straight red card in the 71st minute, while goalkeeper Joshua Grant, who ended the match with five saves, was consistently called upon to keep them in the game.

Grant made consecutive stops in the 19th to deny Esteban Cruz and Jose Pablo Aguero on the rebound. He also came up big to deny Walter Ramirez in the 30th minute and Alberth Barahona in the 45+3.

Jamaica got their efforts from Makai Bond Welch, who was denied by Costa Rica’s goalkeeper Berny Rojas in the 45+5, while captain Adrian Reid Jr’s shot from a distance went just wide as the score remained goalless at the break.

However, Costa Rica eventually broke the deadlock from the penalty spot as Claudio Montero converted in the 50th.

Andy Rojas doubled Costa Rica’s lead in the 67th with a laser-sharp effort from just outside the 18-yard box, which gave Grant no chance at a save.

After Makai Bond Welch was given marching orders, the Central Americans capitalised on the numerical advantage, as Andy Rojas completed his brace and the victory in the 83rd, when he fired home from Ramirez’s cross.

In the feature contest, Ethan Kohler opened the scoring for United States in the 15th, before Zavier Gozo added another in the 26th.

Taha Habroune put the three-time champions further ahead in the 58th, with Marcos Zambrano capping the win in the 90+1.

Despite the loss, Cuba still stands a chance of progressing should things play out in their favour in the final fixtures on Thursday.

This, as Jamaica will have to blank the Spanish-speaking Caribbean team by a wide scoreline to stand a slim chance of possibly securing one of the two best third-place spots up for grabs.

Meanwhile, a wide margin of victory for Cuba over their Caribbean neighbours could see them secure one of those two third-place slots or even second position, provided United States hammer Costa Rica in the top-of-the-table clash.

 

 

It was like lambs to the slaughter as Jamaica’s young Reggae Boyz started the Concacaf Men's Under-20 Championship with a dismal performance and were mauled 9-0 by United States at the Miguel Aleman Valdez Stadium in Mexico on Friday.

The Jamaicans, who would have entered the tournament confident of a good performance, did little to show that they will be competitive in the tournament, which serves as a qualifier for next year’s Under-20 World Cup in Chile.

With the win, reigning champions United States took pole position on three points, ahead of Cuba and Costa Rica, who played out a 1-1 stalemate in the curtain-raiser of the Group A double-header.

Jamaica’s young Reggae Boyz had no response to the onslaught of three-time champions United States, who, in a frantic start, raced to a 4-0 lead inside 21 minutes.

In fact, Jamaica’s lone effort on target was from an ambitious 25th-minute freekick from captain Adrian Reid Jr, driven along the wet surface from well over 30 yards out.

David Vazquez grabbed an early brace in the 2nd and 3rd minutes, as he opened the scoring with an easy finish from deep inside the box, and he later drove home a left-footer in similar fashion.

Pedro Soma struck with a left-footed strike of his own in the 16th to extend United States lead, and he too completed a brace in the 20th with another left-footed hit inside the box.

Not even a slew of early substitutions by Jamaica’s head coach, Jerome Waite, could stop the carnage, as Cruz Medina capitalised on their sloppy defending to finish off a loose ball and put United States 5-0 up at the break.

As the evening rains continued to drizzle, the one-way traffic continued on the resumption when Marcos Zambrano struck in the 54th as United States maintained their offensive efficiency.

Ruben Ramos scored in the 67th to make it seven, before Nimfasha Berchimas added another in the 77th.

Nikolas Tsakiris then capped the win with a close range effort in the 90+1 minute.

Earlier, Samuel Rodriguez’s eight-minute penalty put Cuba in front, but the Spanish-speaking Caribbean island couldn’t maintain the lead, as Esteban Cruz (52nd) earned Costa Rica a share of the spoils.

It was a contest that could have gone either way, but for excellent glove work by Cuba’s Yurdy Hodelin and his Costa Rican counterpart Berny Rojas, as both teams had their fair share of chances.

After Leonardo Alfaro’s 23rd minute strike for Costa Rica came back off the crossbar, Hodelin kept out Andy Rojas’ 30th-minute penalty kick.

Costa Rica’s custodian, Berny Rojas, came up big twice to deny Aniel Casanova and Cristian Mendoza in quick succession.

Action in Group A will resume on Monday with the young Reggae Boyz to lock horns with Costa Rica, while Cuba will face the United States in the feature contest at the same venue.

The 2024 Caribbean Region Table Tennis Federation (CRTTF) mini and pre-Cadet Championship proved to be a fruitful one for Puerto Rico’s extremely talented group.

In the championships held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic from July 1-7, the Puerto Ricans dominated both the Under-11 and Under-13 categories for both boys and girls.

They took all three medals in the Under-11 Mixed Doubles. Ryan Rivera and Valentina Rodriguez took gold ahead of Carlos Medina and Brianna Gomez while Kennuel Arroyo and Nahia Medina took bronze.

Rodriguez and Taviana Burgos combined to take gold in Under-11 Girls Doubles over the Dominican Republic’s Brendaly Jimenez and Shanya Polanco while Mia Ipia and Melany Quezada, also of the Dominican Republic, took bronze.

Rodriguez also took the Under-11 Girls Singles title ahead of aforementioned teammates Taviana Burgos and Nahia Medina.

The Under-11 Boys category was dominated by Jamaica as Malone Bird took gold in singles ahead of Puerto Rico’s Ryan Rivera and Trinidad & Tobago’s Zayden Sagramsingh.

Bird then combined with his brother Shacoil to take top spot in doubles ahead of Puerto Rico’s teams of Kennuel Arroyo and Ian Garcia and Ryan Rivera and Carlos Medina.

Puerto Rico also swept the medals in the Under-13 Mixed Doubles. Matthew Cao and April Cintron took gold ahead of Owen Shemesh and Isabella Castro while Angel Melendez and Brianna Rodriguez took bronze.

The Under-13 Girls Doubles title went to April Cintron and Brianna Rodriquez while teammates Isabella Castro and Ariana Aponte took silver. The Dominican Republic’s Mers Cabreba and Ana Sosa took bronze.

Cintron completed the treble with gold in singles ahead of Rodriquez and Cabrera.

Gold in the boys Under-13 Doubles went to Cuba’s Yadiel Hernandez and Andy Maqueira. The Dominican Republic’s Edwim Martinez and Eidhrian Paulino took silver while Puerto Rico’s Owen Shemesh and Jose Rivera finished third.

Cuba’s Maqueira also took gold in singles ahead of Matthew Cao and Edwim Martinez.

Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago are set to cross swords in the group stages of this year’s fourth edition of the Concacaf Nations League, as both were drawn in Group B of League A for the 2024/25 campaign which is scheduled to kick off in September.

This year’s Concacaf Nations League will again be contested in a three-league format –Leagues A, B and C –and will see the Confederation’s 41 senior men’s national teams doing battle during the FIFA match windows of September, October, and November 2024. The semi-finals and finals of the tournament, which serves as the qualifiers for next summer’s 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, are scheduled for March 2025.

The teams have been grouped across the respective Leagues based on their results from the 2023/24 staging. The Reggae Boyz and their Soca Warriors counterparts, who contested the business end of the competition for the first time in that campaign, will be hoping to do so again on this occasion.

They are among 12 teams, split in two groups of six teams each to contest League A in a “Swiss style” league system, with each team playing a total of four games (two at home and two away).

Jamaica, last edition’s semi-finalist, and Trinidad and Tobago, who made the quarterfinals, are drawn alongside Honduras, Cuba, Nicaragua, and French Guiana, while Group A comprises, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Suriname, and Guyana.

After group stage play in September and October, the first and second-place finishers of each group, will advance to the quarterfinals, where they will join the four top-ranked League A teams, Mexico, United States, Panama, and Canada. The quarterfinals will be played in a home-and-away format, with the winner of each fixture, on aggregate, set to secure a berth in next year’s Finals.

Meanwhile, League B will feature 16 teams divided into four groups of four teams. Each team will play every team in its group twice. The groups were drawn as follows:
 
Group A -El Salvador, Montserrat, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Bonaire

Group B -Curacao, Saint Lucia, Grenada, and Saint Martin
Group C -Haiti, Puerto Rico, Aruba, and St Maarten
Group D -Dominican Republic, Bermuda, Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominic 
Matches in each group will be played at a centralized venue instead of the previous home-and-away format, to alleviate travel challenges that Member Associations face.

The third best-ranked teams in each group will host the September matches, the second best-ranked teams will host the October matches, and the best-ranked teams will host the decisive November matches.

Over in League C, which consists of nine teams, divided into three groups of three teams, the format takes a similar shape, where each team will play every team in its group twice.

Group A -Barbados, Bahamas, and US Virgin Islands
Group B -Belize, Turks and Caicos Islands, and Anguilla
Group C-Saint Kitts and Nevis, Cayman Islands, and British Virgin Islands

Where centralized venues are concerned, the second highest-ranked teams in each group will host the September matches, and the highest-ranked teams will host the October matches.

Schedule:

Group Stage: September 2-10, October 7-15, and November 11-19, 2024
Quarterfinals: November 11-19, 2024
Semifinals: March 20, 2025
Final and Third Place Match: March 23, 2025

Jamaica’s young Reggae Boyz will have powerhouse teams United States and Costa Rica, along with Caribbean neighbours Cuba to contend with in the group stages of this summer’s Concacaf Men’s Under-20 Championships in Mexico.

Those teams will contest Group A of the tournament scheduled for July 19 to August 4. Honduras, Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Canada will contest Group B, while host Mexico, Panama, Guatemala and Haiti will lock horns in Group C.

The groups were revealed during a live draw on Thursday.

Jamaica's young Reggae Boyz, who topped Group F on their way to the Championships, will now be guided by Jerome Waite, who is looking forward to the challenge of possibly qualifying the country to its first Under-20 Men's World Cup since the Argentina feat in 2001.

To achieve the feat, Waite, who took the reins from John Wall after the Caribbean qualifiers, will have to first secure a top two spot from the Group, as only the top two finishers from each group, along with the two best-third-place teams, will advance to the quarterfinals.

From there, the four semi-finalists will secure qualification as Concacaf’s representatives at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup next year.

Waite, who is no stranger to high pressure situations, was at the helm when the young Reggae Boyz went into the 2018 tournament without much preparation or expectation, but surprised the entire nation when they finished level on 13 points from five games with Concacaf kingpins, Mexico, at the top of the group.

However, Mexico qualified for the second round by virtue of a better goal difference than the Jamaicans, as only the group winner advanced.

Since then, Jamaica's closest run to FIFA Under-20 World Cup qualification was when they made the quarterfinals of the 2022 tournament in Honduras.

"Qualification will not be easy, but it is something that can be accomplished," Waite said.

Jamaica’s Samuel Ricketts emerged champion at Cuba’s Torneo International competition when he defeated top seeded Yeison Alvarez two sets to one in Sunday's final in Havana.

After ousting the third seed Matthew Abela in the semis 21-17 21-3 in just 37 minutes on Saturday, the second seeded Ricketts outplayed Alvarez in the final 21-18 7-21 21-19 in the hour-long title decider.

In women’s play, Jamaican Tahlia Richardson advanced to the semis where she was narrowly beaten 12-21 23-21 27-25 by Nikte Sotomayor, the Guatemalan top seed who lost the final to Cuban Taymara Pupo.

Guyanese Priyanna Ramdhani reached the quarterfinals where she lost to Pupo.

Spanish-speak Caribbean nation Cuba joined Central Americans El Salvador and Guatemala on the verge of progression to the Concacaf Men's Championships following their latest victories in their respective qualifying campaigns on Thursday.

Group A

Cuba edged Belize 1-0 at the Estadio Nacional in Managua, courtesy of Aniel Casanova 12th-minute strike, to pull level with host nation Nicaragua on nine points at the top of the group.

The other contest on the day saw British Virgin Islands (BVI) register their second win in a 3-1 beating of Anguilla.

Azarni Callwood (18th, 23rd, 89th) scored all three goals for BVI, while Jared Smeins (28th), pulled one back for Anguilla.

Group B

Guyana registered their first victory of the campaign when they edged Turks and Caicos Islands 2-1, at the ABFA Technical Centre in Piggots, Antigua and Barbuda.

 Ezekial Rowland's brace (32nd, 55th) was enough to get the job done for the Golden Jaguars, while Emmanuel Martin (90th) got on the scoresheet for Turks and Caicos Islands. Both teams are out of contention where topping the group is concerned.

The feature contest of the day ended with a massive three points for El Salvador, who blanked Suriname, 3-0.

Christopher Argueta (17th), Nestor Delgado (24th) and Kiano Casamalhuapa (66th) did the damage for El Salvador, who now sit atop the group on seven points, one point ahead of Antigua and Barbuda and Suriname, on six points each.

This makes things interesting heading into Saturday's final round of games, as Antigua and Barbuda will lock horns with El Salvador in a top-of-the-table clash, while Suriname will have the easier task against Turks and Caicos Islands. 

Victory for Suriname could propel them to the top, but only if the Antigua and Barbuda clash with El Salvador, end in a stalemate. 

Group C

Host nation Guatemala assumed pole position in the group with nine points, after a 4-0 win over Aruba, at the Estadio Doroteo Guamuch Flores in Guatemala City.

Rudy Munoz (8th), Daniel Mendez (24th, 37th), Matthew Evans (45th) and Axel De La Cruz (85th) gave the home crowd much to cheer about.

Guatemala are now two points ahead of Curacao, with both set to meet in the decisive contest on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Barbados registered a morale-boosting 4-2 win over St Martin to take some positive from their failed campaign.

Barbados's goals came from Xavier Webster (1st), Ethan Taylor (77th) and Khalil Vanderpool Nurse (80th, 90+1), while Jaheem Joe (42nd) and a Warren Trotman own goal (72nd) got St Martin's goals.

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