U-17 Reggae Boyz demolish Cayman; one step closer to WCup qualification
Jamaica’s Under-17 men’s team are one game away from becoming the first Caribbean team to qualify for three FIFA World Cups after a resounding 10-1 victory over the Cayman Islands in the Concacaf Championship at the Estadio Cementos Progeso in Guatemala on Wednesday.
The young Reggae Boyz won their opening game against St Lucia 3-1 on Monday. But with El Salvador smashing eight unanswered goals against the Cayman Islands and only the group winner guaranteed a spot in November’s World Cup in Qatar, the Jamaicans needed a big win against Caymanians with goal difference likely to play a part in which team advances.
The Altimont “Freddie” Butler-led charges responded to the test and showed little mercy to their Caribbean neighbours.
After the opening 10 minutes, Jamaica took full control after Jaquan Brown’s opening goal in the 11th minute. They were then awarded a penalty 14 minutes later which Cadriano Marsh converted. The Boyz ended the half with a 5-0 lead thanks to Ziendodean McClean and a double strike from Seymour Reid.
It was more of the same from Jamaica in the second half. They resumed the goal feast three minutes after the restart through Owen Jumpp. Jahmarie Nolan would step up and score twice in the 64th and 80th minute, with Brown getting his second in the 68th and Orel Miller in the 73rd.
However, similar to their first game, Jamaica failed to keep a clean sheet as they conceded a penalty in the 84th minute, which Jagger Alban converted for the Caymanians.
Despite giving up a consolation, the Jamaicans, with six points, saw their goal difference move from +2 to +10. They also became the second team in the tournament to hit double figures in a match.
The group winner and ultimately the qualifier to the World Cup will be decided on Saturday when the young Reggae Boyz take on El Salvador at 8:00 pm.
Jamaica previously qualified for the Under-17 World Cup in 1999 and 2011. A third qualification would see them becoming the first Caribbean island to qualify for three tournaments, with Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti having two appearances each.
— Daniel Blake
