Menzies expects tough challenge at CONCACAF Champs
Jamaica Under-20 Women’s head coach Hue Menzies said it will be a “tough” challenge for his team to advance to the semi-finals, though the Reggae Girlz avoided title-holders United States and perennial challengers Mexico for the group stage of the 2015 CONCACAF Championship.
At Wednesday’s draw held in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, the Jamaicans landed in Group A alongside hosts Honduras, Caribbean rivals Trinidad & Tobago and Canada.
Group B consists of United States, Mexico, Panama and Caribbean champions Haiti.
The CONCACAF tournament is scheduled from December 3-13, and matches are to be contested at the Estadio Francisco Morazán and the Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano.
Jamaica are set to first oppose Honduras on December 3, at the Estadio Francisco Morazán, before taking on Canada at the Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano two days later. On December 7, they close out their preliminary games against Trinidad & Tobago again at the Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano.
“We do have a tough bracket. We play the host nation in the first game. That will be a game of emotions for them. We play Canada in the second game, [then] we play Trinidad, whom we drew with in Haiti. They have been such rivals for us over the years, [so] we have our work cut out for us,” Menzies told the Jamaica Observer.
Two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.
The top three teams are set to qualify for the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup to be held in Papua New Guinea next year. While Jamaica, United States and Mexico have advanced to all eight editions of the CONCACAF stage of Under-20 Women’s football, the Reggae Girlz have never qualified for a Women’s World Cup.
Jamaica progressed to the 2015 CONCACAF stage of qualifying after coming second at the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Championship, where they lost 0-2 to host nation Haiti in the final in October.
Trinidad & Tobago, who came from two-nil down to draw 2-2 with Jamaica during the CFU group stage, were third-placed finishers.
— Sanjay Myers