One point! Young Reggae Boyz need at least a draw to advance

Adrian Frater, News Editor

WESTERN BUREAU:

Hosts Jamaica will be gunning to secure a quarter-final berth in the 2011 CONCACAF Under-17 Champion-ship this afternoon, when they square off against Guatemala in their crucial Group C fixture at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in Catherine Hall, St James, starting at 3 p.m.

The game will be preceded by a 12:30 p.m Group D curtain-raiser between qualifiers Honduras and Canada.

With two teams advancing from each of the four three-team preliminary groupings, Jamaica need only avoid defeat to join early qualifiers Trinidad & Tobago (T&T).

Guatemala, who lost 1-0 to T&T, must win to advance ahead of Jamaica.

Declaring that the coaching staff has done all they can to get the young Reggae Boyz ready for the Guatemala challenge, national coach Wendell Downswell said the youngsters, who drew 2-2 with Cuba in their opening game, now have their destiny in their own hands.

"The players know what they need to do and it is now for them to go out and do it," said Downswell. "We are confident that they will get the job done but as I said, their fate is in their own hands."

Guatemala's coach, Gary Stempel, believes his team was most unfortunate in Thursday's 1-0 loss against T&T, but are hell-bent on making amends against Jamaica.

"We have no choice but to go out there and win the game against Jamaica," said Stempel. "I know we have a good team and I am sure the players want to move on in this tournament."

Based on what he has seen in the latest series of tactical sessions aimed at getting the young Boyz calm and composed, coach Downswell does not expect to see a repeat of the first game jitters that was displayed against T&T. In fact, he is expecting to see steely determination and grit.

"These youngsters are well prepared and they know the nation is depending on them," said Downswell. "I can see and feel the determination in them and I know they are going out there to give of their best."

Jamaica's hopes will revolve around skipper Omar Holness, Romario Williams, Andre Lewis and Patrick Palmer.

Meanwhile, Guatemala will be depending on the likes of the wily Franklin Garcia, Luis Ruiz, Alvaro Tuna and skipper Gerardo Gordillo to give them victory.

In the opening game between Honduras and the rampaging Canadians, the teams will have their sights set on topping the group, which would mean meeting the runners-up from the Jamaica group in the quarter-finals. Based on their respective results against Barbados, Canada should start firm favourites.

The Hondurans edged Barbados 2-1, while Canada spanked the Barbadians 8-0.

"We know Honduras is a good team and we are expecting a good game from them," said Sean Fleming, Canada's coach. "However, we intend to get a positive result against them."