Locals dominate Young Reggae Girlz squad to Concacaf U20 prelims

Young Reggae Girlz coach, Hugh Bradford, has announced his squad set for final preparations for the preliminary round of the Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship, set to begin April 14.

The squad, which has been in camp since April 3 and will be there until they depart for Nicaragua on April 12, features five United States-based players, with one player hailing from the United Kingdom.

Among the local-based players, Kingston and St Andrew account for the lion’s share of representatives with seven, while St Catherine’s three representatives will be led by the impressive Shaneil Buckley.

The Jamaicans are drawn in Group E alongside Honduras, Bermuda, Anguilla and French Guiana.

The competition, which will be the first to feature the Confederation’s recently launched exciting new youth competitions format, is scheduled to run through to April 23 across four venues in the Caribbean and Central America.

The event’s official draw took place on February 16 and the 32 participating teams were split into six total groups (two groups of six teams and four groups of five teams each).

The results of the draw, saw Jamaica’s Group E fixtures slated for Estadio Nacional in Managua, Nicaragua.

Following round robin play, the six group winners will advance to the 2023 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship, joining the region’s top two ranked nations, United States and Mexico.

The 2023 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship is scheduled to take place May 24 - June 3, 2023, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The eight team competition will qualify its top three finishers (finalists and third place match winner) to next year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

Squad

Dreanna Thaw, Kingston & St Andrew; Shaneil Buckley, St Catherine; Lillian Clarke, Kingston & St Andrew; Tiny Seaton, St Catherine; Kieba Cowan, Clarendon; Liha Williams, Clarendon; Natoya Atkinson, Kingston & St Andrew; Dannique Wilson, St James; Destiny Powell, Kingston & St Andrew; Akeila Johnson, Kingston & St Andrew; Tyesha Nelson, Kingston & St. Andrew; Janiel Mignott, St Catherine; Kayesha, Kingston & St. Andrew; Liya Brooks, United States; Katie Oakley, United States; Davia Richards, Local; Avery Johnson, United States; Mia Mitchell, United States; Maya Ragahanada, United States; Sundai Amele, United Kingdom

Groups, venues and dates

Group A – April 14-22 at Estadio Panamericano, San Cristobal, Dominican Republic

Canada, El Salvador, Cuba, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Martinique and US Virgin Islands

Group B – April 14-22 at Rignaal Jean Francisca Stadium, Willemstad, Curaçao

Haiti, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Curacao, Sint Maarten, Bahamas

Group C – April 15-23 at Estadio Felix Sanchez, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic, Guyana, Suriname, Grenada, Dominica

Group D - April 15-23 at Rignaal Jean Francisca Stadium, Willemstad, Curaçao

Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Cayman Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe

Group E - April 14-22 at Estadio Nacional, Managua, Nicaragua

Jamaica, Honduras, Bermuda, Anguilla, French Guiana

Group F – April 15-23 at Estadio Nacional, Managua, Nicaragua

Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Saint Lucia, Belize