MIAMI, Florida – The 2023 Concacaf Men’s Under-17 Championship in Guatemala continues on Sunday with the teams in Group G and Group H getting their first taste of action.
Group G will set up shop at the Estadio Doroteo Guamuch Flores in Guatemala City and the day will begin with an all-Caribbean battle between Jamaica and Cuba.
In five previous meetings in CMU17 competition, each team has a pair of wins to go along with a draw, so fans can expect another tight contest on Sunday.
Jamaica will be led by MF Jordan Mangatal, a talented 16-year-old, while Jade Nicolas Quinones Sanchez is a 15-year-old FW for Cuba who has already stood out on the international stage with a goal and an assist in four games.
U-17 Boyz with Miss Anaitee Mills Honorary Consul of Guatemala 🫱🏿🫲🏿
— Official J.F.F (@jff_football) February 9, 2023
.#AdidasFootball #ReggaeBoyzU17 #JFF_Football pic.twitter.com/JbmLmqjnas
The nightcap in Group G will pit 1994 CMU17 champions Costa Rica against Guadeloupe in what will be the first ever meeting between the two nations in a CMU17.
A top-level striker always rises to the occasion for the Ticos in this tournament, and the player who stands to do that in Guatemala is Claudio Montero. The FW hails from Costa Rican giants Alajuelense and scored four goals in the 2019 Under-13 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League.
This is just the second CMU17 appearance for Guadeloupe, but Les Gwada Boys will be unfazed by it all, especially 17-year-old MF Willan Jaques, who is one of seven players from Guadeloupe side Cerfa FC.
#Sélection #U17
— LGF (@LGF971) February 10, 2023
Top départ pour notre sélection U17 ! Direction le Guatelama où ils entretront en lice dans le championnat @Concacaf dès dimanche face au @fedefutbolcrc. Un max de like pour donner la force à nos jeunes et à leur staff 👍🏾👊🏾#PasyonémanTanNou#PassionatelyOurs pic.twitter.com/loUROv6Ibm
The Estadio Pensativo in Antigua will witness Sunday’s two games in Group H, beginning with an exciting contest between Haiti and El Salvador. Haiti were the revelation of the 2019 edition by reaching the semifinal round, so now a new group of players will be out to make a similar run.
MF Bryan Destin of Inter Miami will be one to watch for Les Grenadiers, while MF Cristopher Arias of New York City FC stands to be a key piece for El Salvador.
In three previous CMU17 meetings, Haiti own a slight edge with two wins and one defeat. The Caribbean side topped the Cuscatlecos 4-1 in a group stage affair in 2019.
Angelo Jean Baptiste et la sélection nationale U17 masculine ont quitté Santo Domingo où ils ont bouclé hier jeudi le camp de préparation pour la Concacaf championship, qualificative pour Pérou 2023. 27 membres d’une délégation se sont envolés vers Guatemala ce matin. pic.twitter.com/q2hKawitGo
— Fédération Haïtienne de Football (@fhfhaiti) February 10, 2023
The day in Group H concludes with Honduras and Suriname in the first ever CMU17 meeting between the two countries.
Roberto Osorto is a dangerman for Honduras and always seems to make a difference whether it is for club or country. At the 2019 U13 SCCL, he scored for Luz y Vida and is now a member of Real Espana. With the national team, he has 11 goals in 25 games.
Suriname boast a wealth of talent currently playing in the top academies in the Netherlands, including MF Kenzo Riedewald from famed Dutch club Ajax.
