GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala — This it it. Finally, after months of preparation, topped off by a rigorous three-week training stint in Brazil, Jamaica’s Under-20 footballers will have their defining moment against Guatemala tonight as they seek to repeat the success of the Argentina 2001 bunch.

It’s their time, and theirs alone, to show their country and indeed the rest of the world that they belong on the global stage, parallel to their siblings, who have booked their spot at the Mexico Under-17 FIFA Youth World Cup in a tournament on home soil a month ago.

The Under-20s will not have the comfort of a supportive crowd as did their juniors in Montego Bay last month, but they will be highly charged on confidence in a hostile environment when they kickstart their campaign today in pursuit of the elusive World Cup dream.

Buoyed by their upbeat mood which was profoundly reflected by their captain Sergio Campbell, it’s hard not to think that success should be in the cards tonight when the Young Reggae Boyz face the hosts Guatemala in a Group A contest of the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship at the Mateo Flores Stadium.

Kick-off time is 8:00 pm (9:00 pm Jamaica time).

“The confidence level is very high and going to the World Cup is on the lips of all of them (other players) as we won’t have another chance to play in the Under-20 World Cup,” said Campbell, who was a member of Jamaica’s triumphant Digicel Caribbean Cup team.

“Our main objective from going to Brazil then coming here (Guatemala) is to qualify for the World Cup, so we are sticking to that plan. All the players are focused and well motivated for qualifying for the World Cup,” the towering Campbell said yesterday from the Radisson, the team’s hotel.

The former Clarendon College student, a relative of senior Jamaica regular Rodolph Austin, said that he and his team had taken into consideration the task at hand, but the skipper intends to lead with courage from the heart of defence.

“We are just going out there to do our best, and we know the whole situation of the home team with the crowd and all, and we know it’s going to be difficult,” he noted.

In more than a handful of warm-up matches in Brazil, a critical Achilles heel of the team reared its ugly — a profligacy in front of goals. It worried the coaching team of Brazilians Walter and Luciano Gama, Joao Brigatti and Jamaican Andrew Edwards.

And it is of concern to the team leader as well. But Campbell went about addressing it in his own inimitable style.

“As you know Craig Foster, he’s our main marksman right now… last night (Sunday) I spoke to him and told him that we are depending on him, plus all of Jamaica back home is depending on him, so I told him to ‘please go out there in the best frame of mind and put away all the chances you get as all goals are important right now’,” Campbell said.

It’s only a matter of hours before the world finds out whether the pep talk struck a nerve.

Though there is an established concern with the hesitance in front of the opposing goal and even as an intensive programme has been introduced to correct it, one coach Luciano Gama, the son of Walter, said all areas of play remain the focus of his team.

“The emphasis has been complete, we can’t concentrate on defence, midfield and attack, we have to look at the team generally,” he said.

The younger Gama also warned that each game in the 12-team tournament, which seeks to qualify four teams for the Under-20 FIFA World Cup from July 29 to August 20 in Colombia, must be seen in the context of a final. There is no room for error.

“We expect to have a good tournament, but there is no time for regret, we have just two games to decide if we go to the next round, and then we will just have one game to decide if we go to the World Cup,” he stated.

Gama added that it will not suit the Jamaican cause if the team did not finish on top of their group, which also features the more fearsome Honduras, another Central American opponent. Should Jamaica progress to the final eight, it would be in their best interest to avoid CONCACAF giant the USA, who compete in the corresponding Group B. “We know it’s important to stay in first place in the group so to avoid crossing paths with United States,” Gama said.

For today’s crucial opening match of a double-header, the coaching team led by the elder Gama had not finalised the starting 11, although it is expected to go something like: Kemar Foster in goal, Oneil Fisher, Campbell, Jhamie Hyde, Kemar Lawrence marshalling a mellowing defence, while Ewan Grandison, Devon Williams, Neco Brett and Marvin Morgan could answer the call in midfield. Craig Foster and Ricardo Morris could get the nod in the striker’s roles, although Denmark Gillings and Allan Ottey are in the reckoning.

Guatemala’s preparation for the tournament in the main was concentrated at home, and only a couple of days ago lost 1-2 to their senior team in their final warm-up. It is widely agreed here that their top player is Henry Lopez.

At press time last night, the two-week tournament was due to kick off with Canada to face Guadeloupe in a Group C game, while Cuba and Mexico were down to do battle from Group D.