U20 Boyz get tough Concacaf draw

MIAMI, Florida (CMC):

Jamaica, the only English-speaking Caribbean Football Union team remaining in the tournament, will face a difficult task in the group stage of the Concacaf Men's Under-20 Championship to be staged from July 19 to August 4 in Celaya and Irapuato, Mexico.

Concacaf announced that the Jamaicans will face the traditionally strong pair of United States of America and Costa Rica (USA), as well as feisty CFU neighbours, Cuba in Group A after the official draw took place on Thursday at the confederation's headquarters in the USA.

Honduras, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, and Canada will form Group B, and hosts Mexico, as well as Panama, Guatemala, and Haiti will contest Group C.

The Young Reggae Boyz booked their place in the Championship after winning all their matches in Group F in February at the SKNFA Technical Centre in the St Kitts & Nevis capital of Basseterre - 1-0 against Martinique, 2-0 against Grenada, and 3-2 against Bermuda.

After round-robin play in the group stage from July 19-27, the top two finishers in each group and the two best third places will advance to the quarter-finals.

The knockout stage will include eight teams, starting with the quarter-finals on July 30 and 31, then the semi-finals on August 2, and the final, where the new champions will be crowned, on Sunday, August 4.

The four teams reaching the semi-finals will also guarantee their participation in the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Chile next year.