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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>Young Boyz get in shape for U-17 World Cup qualifiers</SPAN>
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Saturday, January 27, 2007
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</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>Jamaica's Under-17 players training at the Stadium East playing field recently. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>In 1999, the Jamaican national Under-17 team qualified along with Mexico and the USA from CONCACAF to the FIFA U-17 World Cup held in New Zealand.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Jamaica exited in the first round while Mexico were knocked out in the quarter-finals by the USA (who went on to finish fourth). Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley of the USA were named among the FIFA's rising stars from the tournament.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Back then, El Salvador and Jamaica were the host nations for the final stage of qualification. Jamaica were placed in Group A along with USA, Costa Rica and Honduras. The young Reggae Boyz topped the group by defeating Honduras and Costa Rica and playing to a goalless draw with USA.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Mexico have traditionally performed well at this level. They hold an impressive record at the final stage of qualification to the FIFA U-17 World Cup. This final stage of qualification differs in format now than a few years ago. Since 1999, CONCACAF has used zonal qualifications to determine the teams entering the FIFA World Cup stage. In former years the tournament played via knockout qualification and crowned one champion.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The CONCACAF U-17 tournament started in 1983 and Mexico won four of the eight tournaments. Mexico's dominance in CONCACAF at this level is also affirmed by their qualification nine times, failing to qualify only three times.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The 2007 CONCACAF U-17 tournament will be hosted in Honduras and Jamaica. Group A will be played in Honduras and is completed by Mexico, Haiti and El Salvador. Group B features Canada, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and the USA. The top two teams from Group A, along with the top three from Group B will qualify for the 2007 FIFA World Cup in South Korea in August.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The national U-17 team has been quite active since 2006. The U-17 team has had the most practice games of all the Jamaican national teams, which inluded three international friendly games and 10 friendly games against local U-19 school teams. They played Norman Manley High, Bridgeport Technical High, Frome Technical High and Godfrey Stewart Technical High, among others.<P class=StoryText align=justify>In preparation for its participation in the qualifying CONCACAF tournament, the National Under-17 team has organised a two-game international friendly series against the current world champions, Mexico on February 14 & 16 here in Jamaica.<P class=StoryText align=justify>A team such as Mexico that has a history of dominance at this youth level within the region will provide the Jamaicans with worthwhile international experience ahead of the CONCACAF tournament in April.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Jamaica drew 0-0 with Mexico in the first round of the 2006 Caribbean Football Union U-16 Tournament in Trinidad in August. Jamaica finished fourth behind the hosts Trinidad while Mexico won the tournament after defeating Haiti 3-0 in the finals.
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>
Saturday, January 27, 2007
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=206 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>Jamaica's Under-17 players training at the Stadium East playing field recently. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>In 1999, the Jamaican national Under-17 team qualified along with Mexico and the USA from CONCACAF to the FIFA U-17 World Cup held in New Zealand.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Jamaica exited in the first round while Mexico were knocked out in the quarter-finals by the USA (who went on to finish fourth). Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley of the USA were named among the FIFA's rising stars from the tournament.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Back then, El Salvador and Jamaica were the host nations for the final stage of qualification. Jamaica were placed in Group A along with USA, Costa Rica and Honduras. The young Reggae Boyz topped the group by defeating Honduras and Costa Rica and playing to a goalless draw with USA.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Mexico have traditionally performed well at this level. They hold an impressive record at the final stage of qualification to the FIFA U-17 World Cup. This final stage of qualification differs in format now than a few years ago. Since 1999, CONCACAF has used zonal qualifications to determine the teams entering the FIFA World Cup stage. In former years the tournament played via knockout qualification and crowned one champion.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The CONCACAF U-17 tournament started in 1983 and Mexico won four of the eight tournaments. Mexico's dominance in CONCACAF at this level is also affirmed by their qualification nine times, failing to qualify only three times.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The 2007 CONCACAF U-17 tournament will be hosted in Honduras and Jamaica. Group A will be played in Honduras and is completed by Mexico, Haiti and El Salvador. Group B features Canada, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and the USA. The top two teams from Group A, along with the top three from Group B will qualify for the 2007 FIFA World Cup in South Korea in August.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The national U-17 team has been quite active since 2006. The U-17 team has had the most practice games of all the Jamaican national teams, which inluded three international friendly games and 10 friendly games against local U-19 school teams. They played Norman Manley High, Bridgeport Technical High, Frome Technical High and Godfrey Stewart Technical High, among others.<P class=StoryText align=justify>In preparation for its participation in the qualifying CONCACAF tournament, the National Under-17 team has organised a two-game international friendly series against the current world champions, Mexico on February 14 & 16 here in Jamaica.<P class=StoryText align=justify>A team such as Mexico that has a history of dominance at this youth level within the region will provide the Jamaicans with worthwhile international experience ahead of the CONCACAF tournament in April.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Jamaica drew 0-0 with Mexico in the first round of the 2006 Caribbean Football Union U-16 Tournament in Trinidad in August. Jamaica finished fourth behind the hosts Trinidad while Mexico won the tournament after defeating Haiti 3-0 in the finals.