CONCACAF U-17 Final Round Group B set for Jamaica

Jamaica will host the 2007 CONCACAF Under-17 Final Round Qualification Group B from 28 April
– 6 May at the National Stadium in Kingston. Jamaica, which is staging its second CONCACAF U-17 Final Round event, will greet Canada, Costa Rica, Trinidad & Tobago and USA in Group B, from which three teams will progress to the FIFA U-17 World Cup Korea Republic 2007 from 18 August – 9 September.

Haiti and the hosts, Honduras were the first two CONCACAF representatives to qualify to the FIFA U-17 World Cup after finishing first and second, respectively, in Group A Qualification heldat the Tiburcio Carias Andino Stadium in Tegucigalpa from 4-8 April

SCHEDULE – Kingston, JAMAICA; National Stadium
28.04.2007: COSTA RICA – TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (17:00); JAMAICA – CANADA (19:00)
30.04.2007: CANADA – COSTA RICA (17:00); TRINIDAD & TOBAGO – USA (19:00)
02.05.2007: USA – CANADA (17:00); JAMAICA – COSTA RICA (19:00)
04.05.2007: CANADA – TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (17:00); JAMAICA – USA (19:00)
06.05.2007: USA – COSTA RICA (17:00); JAMAICA – TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (19:00)

ABOUT JAMAICA’S UNDER-17 TEAM…
With David Hunt at the helm, Jamaica are hosting their second CONCACAF U-17 Final Round Group … The reggae boyz still competed in the CFU Youth Cup last year in Trinidad & Tobago finishing fourth … Jamaica has played in nine previous CONCACAF Qualification Tournaments and progressed to their only FIFA U-17 World Cup in New Zealand 1999 … Jamaica was the second Caribbean nation to qualify to a FIFA U-17 World Cup.

ABOUT CANADA’S UNDER-17 TEAM …
Canada is one of the three North Zone teams that earned a bye into CONCACAF Final Round … Canada was the first CONCACAF nation to host a FIFA Under-16 World Championship in 1987 … The maple leafs would later progress to three more FIFA Tournaments (1989, 1993, 1995) but they have not qualified to an U-17 World Cup in more than a decade … Stephen Hart is in charge of the maple leafs.

ABOUT COSTA RICA’S UNDER-17 TEAM…
Costa Rica claimed one of the two Central American berths to the CONCACAF Final Round after winning the Union Centroamericana de Fútbol (UNCAF) Tournament held in El Salvador … Despite a loss to Panama, Costa Rica defeated Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador during the UNCAF event … The ticos became the first Central American team to compete at the 1985 FIFA U-16 World Championship in China … Since then Costa Rica has qualified to five more FIFA U-17 World Cups, which is the most by any Central American nation … Manuel Gerardo Ureña is at the helm of the ticos.

ABOUT TRINIDAD & TOBAGO’S UNDER-17 TEAM…
Coached by Anton Corneal, Trinidad & Tobago are making their first appearance at the CONCACAF Final Round since 1999 … The soca warriors are competing in their 11th CONCACAF Qualification, which is the most by any Caribbean team, after hosting and finishing third at the CFU Youth Cup last year … Trinidad & Tobago defeated Aruba, Grenada and Guyana in the first round … After tying Barbados and defeating Surinam, the soca warriors lost to the eventual tournament champions Haiti to end the second round … Trinidad & Tobago captured the third-place honour with a victory over Jamaica.

ABOUT USA’S UNDER-17 TEAM…
The USA is one of the three North Zone teams that earned a bye into CONCACAF Final Round … Is the only CONCACAF team (and globally) to have qualified to all the FIFA U-16/U-17 World Cups (1985-2005) and will be looking to make it 12th consecutive berths in 2007 … The stars & stripes won the inaugural CONCACAF tournament in Trinidad & Tobago 1983 and nine years later, they claimed its second Confederation crown in Cuba … The USA currently have a 16-game unbeaten streak in CONCACAF U-17 Qualification … The stars & stripes have John Hackworth at the helm. More in the Forum