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U.S. U-17 Men's National Team Prepare to Face Host Jamaica in Group B CONCACAF Final Round Qualifying
U.S. Under-17 MNT Notes Kingston, Jamaica May 3, 2007
HOST UP NEXT: With six points in hand after their first two games in Group B of the CONCACAF Final Round Qualifying Tournament, the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team has a chance to solidify a spot in the FIFA U-17 World Cup when they take on Jamaica this Friday, May 3, at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica. The match will be the night-cap, following Canada-Trinidad & Tobago, and will kick off at 8 p.m. ET. Fans can follow the match live on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker.
IN WITH WIN…OR TIE…OR HELP: The top three teams in Group B earn a berth to the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup, and the U.S. can clinch a spot with at least a draw against Jamaica. The U.S. could actually qualify for the World Cup before playing another minute. If Canada and Trinidad & Tobago draw in the early match on Friday, the U.S. would secure at least third place with six points. Canada would end up with five points, while Trinidad & Tobago could only earn as much as four points if they won their final match. With their 2-1 victory against Canada on Wednesday night, the U.S. became the only team to earn the maximum six points in their first two games and jumped into first place in five-team Group B, but it was short-lived. Costa Rica, playing in their third match, defeated Jamaica, 1-0, to give them seven points, moving the U.S. to second place (with a game in hand). With seven points, Costa Rica ensured at least a third-place finish and a berth in the FIFA U-17 World Cup. The U.S. is the only country to qualify for all 11 previous FIFA U-17 World Cups. The 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup will take place in South Korea from August 18 to September 9. CONCACAF Group B Final Round Qualifying Kingston, Jamaica Team GP W L T GF GA GD Pts. CRC 3 2 0 1 3 0 +3 7 USA 2 2 0 0 5 1 +4 6 CAN 3 1 1 1 4 2 +2 4 JAM 2 0 2 0 0 4 -4 0 TRI 2 0 2 0 0 5 -5 0
Big disappointment to say the least; I hate to sound pessimistic but I don't see us coming back from this. I won't go as far as to blame Bora "yet"....
I was really looking forward to going to S.Korea again but now I have no incentive.
So should JA cancel participation in all tournament until the mindset thing get fix behind the scene? The coach just tek over the program so even if he identifies the mindset problem on his first day I wouldn't expect it to be resolved in such a short time.
The only hope is that the coach identifies the mindset problem and for those who keep crying about mindset problem not to hinder him from solving the same mindset problem them keep talking about. I know sometimes man can point out problems but either don't understand or can't stomach the steps needed to fix said problem. For ex: If on the eve of an important game the coach jeopardize a favorable outcome by getting rid of the best player on the team to fix the mindset problem let mi hear unnu support him instead of crying and cursing because this one game was jeopardize.
Nothing can be changed for the long-term without short-term sacrifice.
________________________________________________________ Minds are like parachutes. They only work when open.
I am still not giving up hope on the u17s. If they can win the next two they have a small chance of qualifying
The key is the Canada-Trini game. If Canada comes out of that game with the classification then it is over for JA no matter whether unnu win the next 2.
I don't see the USA needing the points against an already classified CRica and not trying to cut some side deal to insure they get them. Therefore unnu need T & T to beat Canada to have a chance.
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U-17s seek reprieve Young Boyz face mighty USA in Qualifiers SEAN A WILLIAMS, Assistant Sports Editor Friday, May 04, 2007
Jamaica's Yannick Salmon (left) prepares to dribble past Costa Rica's Oviedo Bryan during Wednesday night's CONCACAF Group B UNder-17 game at the National Stadium. Costa Rica won 1-0. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)
IF coach David Hunt's post-match comments are anything to go by, the unsuspecting man would think his Under-17 football team is doing well.
In fact, the Jamaicans have been virtually eliminated from the CONCACAF Group B Under-17 World Cup qualifying tournament presently on at the National Stadium here in Kingston.
Hunt's upbeat mood, even in the face of utter defeat, is not easy to fathom.
In a post-match press conference after the Young Reggae Boyz's 0-1 defeat to Costa Rica on Wednesday night, Hunt had his tail in the air even as the Central Americans showed superior all-round form that eventually led to the win.
"I think both teams were evenly matched," said Hunt as he responded to questions from journalists. "I am happy with the effort the players displayed, and I think tactically they stuck to a lot of the things we have practised. and as I have said, it just came down to one little mistake," he added.
That "one little mistake" all but knocked Jamaica out of qualifying for this summer's Under-17 World Cup in South Korea and earned Costa Rica a spot in the Asia championships.
"The Costa Ricans got the only goal of the game and that was the main difference (between the team). I think we defended fairly well though and the goal they scored, we just gave away the ball just right outside the 18-yard area," said Hunt, a successful coach at the local youth level.
Jamaica - after going down 0-3 to Canada in their opening match of the five-team tournament from which three will book spots to South Korea - appeared a bit more aggressive in their approach in Wednesday's game, but reproduced the lack of organisation and tactical finesse from the first.
"From the start of the game (on Wednesday), I thought they played much more aggressive. They attacked more, they talked for the ball more, and it showed in their performance," argued Hunt.
"I thought they played a very tough game," he added. Jamaica go into today's game against tournament favourites the USA without a goal to their name, and all eyes have turned on top striker and captain, Dever Orgill, from whom a lot was expected.
"He has been our top goal-scorer right throughout, even before I started coaching the team, and as you said he has played well in some of the other games.
"To me, he played reasonably well in the first half (Costa Rica match), but he didn't kick enough, and he got some opportunities that went straight to the 'keeper," Hunt noted. But no number of goals at this point will help the Young Boyz's fizzled cause, the focus will more likely be on how many they may concede against the powerful USA in this evening's 7 o'clock kickoff.
The Americans need only a draw against Jamaica to book their passage to South Korea, having defeated Caribbean neighbours Trinidad & Tobago 3-0 in their opening game and Canada 2-1 on Wednesday.
Perhaps an upset is in the stars for the Under-17s as Jamaican teams are usually highly motivated to play against the USA - a country they have never defeated at any level. And the prospect of a Jamaica team conjuring a landmark defeat against the USA must be the most striking allure for anyone attending today's match, because so far the overall performance of the youngsters on the pitch and match results have been woeful, to say the least.
In the 5:00 pm curtain-raiser of the double-header, another North American powerhouse Canada (four points) could seal their deal for Asia with a win over T&T, who, like Jamaica, are yet to gain a point.
Jamaica (from): Oneil Wilson, Christopher Banner, Kenneil Hyde, McKauly Tulloch, John Ross Doyley, Jermaine Jarrett, Damaine Thompson, Kabari Palmer, Shamari Brown, Marvin Boothe, Yannick Salmon, Andre Steele, Dever Orgill, Shabon Brown, Peter Kafach, Akeen Brown, Christopher Waugh, Adrian Christian, Andre Blake, Noel Mais.
USA (from): William Schuler, Sheanon Williams, Mykell Batio, Thomas Meyer, Daniel Wenzel, Jared Jeffrey, Abdulasam Ibrahim, Dane Shea, Zachary McMath, Alexander Nimo, Hugh Dixon, Joshua Lambo, Howard Rivers, Nicholas Millington, Bryan Dominguez, Brendon King, Jesse Parades, Brandon Zimmerman, Gregory Garza.
Of course Canada can lose to Trinidad. Of course T&T can pull something out of the bag.
Of course Jamaica can qualify still.
Of course we can rap with pelepapa about should we disband or carry on.
But my point was not about questioning playing ball but questioning the being a football force. A power house in the concacaf region.
How can we accomplish that when we cant even dominate at home.
I cant disagree with Hunt that the team match CR in the last game. But we did not win. Simple.
We are paying Bora 3 million to be TD. He is telling us what we know already. we have talent. Great athletic prowess.
But what we dont need is 3 million dollar man to teach us our culture. And sadly it is our culture. our mindset. We never turn up when it matters.
And its not just the players. It starts from the JFF.
Boxhill was more concerned about recovering the money for this event. But yet still his mandate for office was about youth development.
Just like the Cricket World Cup, wouldn't the youth team and tournament received local support if the tickets were priced to fit the occassion.
But back to the point, Jamaica is in the business of displaying champions. They need a rethink. We will be better off creating champions. That means development of mind body and soul of football management, coaches and players.
So I dont think we should disband the programme as pelepapa is asking but I cant see the point in carrying on when it obviously aint working.
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They make the world so hard
Good point jt, all the gibson and boxhill was talking about was how much money dem a spend and the potential losses. Qualification or a good performance seemed to be the last thing in dem head.
Remember the man mandate is youth development. Im am really sick and tired of promises and talks. But why di hell promises of stadiums, of this and that still rile up Jamaicans both home and abroad even with the continuous false promises
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FORMER President - F.A.A.B.A.C.B(Fans Association Against the Baseless Attack on Captain Burrel)
U know what hurt mi bout dis p hole boxhill and him team, is the fact seh dem a play politics wid di country football, the same politics thats has and is destroying Jamaica.
U know who the U17 dem play as practice matches? Liguanea united from the syd barlett, hill stars from manchester major league and some other parish sides and also some premier league youth sides. These side are made up of men (except for the latter) who lack fitness and just play ball fi di fun of it. Do u think that was adequate preparation for this tournament? What happen to some exposure at the international level similarly to what they will face in the qualifies. As the saying goes you fail to prepare then u prepare to fail. If u chech back history the youth sides that qualify or nearly qualified spent a lot of time playing their youth level colleagues overseas. All of this happened not during boxhill tenure who stated that he was pushing youth development. What the hell have he implemented thats geared towards youth development more than run off him beak.
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FORMER President - F.A.A.B.A.C.B(Fans Association Against the Baseless Attack on Captain Burrel)
