MIAMI, Florida – For the first time in nearly four years there will be a new edition of the Concacaf Men’s Under-17 Championship following the suspension of the 2020 tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Just like in this year’s edition, 20 teams competed in the 2019 CMU17, which took place in Bradenton, Florida in May of that year. A total of 39 games were played over the course of 16 days with 152 goals scored for an average of nearly four goals per game, to go along with 88 assists.
The men in net stood out as well, with 259 saves made and 18 clean sheets recorded, with Curacao’s Tyrick Bodack leading the way with 20 saves.
There were plenty of fireworks in the group stage in which four groups consisting of four teams started the action.
Geancarlo Castro of Costa Rica would finish as the tournament’s top scorer with seven goals and he did most of his damage in the group stage, scoring six goals, including a hat trick in the Ticos’ 6-0 victory against Suriname.
There were other hat-trick heroes though in this tournament. Mexico’s Santiago Munoz and Jamaica’s Rajay Wright each lit up Group E by scoring a trio of goals in a single match.
Munoz achieved his feat in the group stage finale, a 5-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago, while Wright also conjured up some final day magic with three goals in a 4-2 win over Bermuda. Canada’s Jayden Nelson also scored a hat trick in a 4-2 Group F win for his nation against Guatemala.
The group stage also proved fertile for El Salvador’s Saul Emerson, who scored in all three of the Cuscatlecos’ games in Group G. That was the same group where Haiti’s Michel Pierre took flight, highlighted by a brace in a 6-0 triumph over Guyana.
Twelve teams reached the Round of 16 and were joined by Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe, Nicaragua and Dominican Republic, the four teams that had advanced directly to the Round of 16 via CMU17 Qualifying.
With the stakes getting higher, players like Giovanni Reyna of the United States, who led the tournament in goal contributions with nine, and Jeffry Miranda of Honduras managed to rise to the occasion. Both players registered a hat trick to pace their sides to victory, a 4-1 Honduras win against Trinidad and Tobago and a 8-0 victory for the U.S. over Guadeloupe.
The revelation of the 2019 CMU17 would become Haiti, as they qualified for just their second FIFA Under-17 Men’s World Cup when they edged Honduras in a penalty shootout, 4-3, following a 1-1 draw in their quarterfinal.
Canada also required penalties to overcome a tough Costa Rica side in the quarterfinals to punch their World Cup ticket, with a 4-3 shootout win following a 1-1 draw with the Ticos.
Mexico and the U.S. earned decisive wins over El Salvador and Panama, respectively, to join Haiti and Canada at the 2019 U17 World Cup in Brazil. It also set the stage for a pair of memorable semifinals, as the U.S. downed North American rivals Canada thanks to a Reyna goal and a brace from Ricardo Pepi, while Mexico got a goal from Efrain Alvarez to narrowly defeat Haiti, 1-0, in a hard-fought contest.
The Final saw long-time rivals Mexico and the U.S. square off for regional supremacy. In addition to scoring stars Reyna and Pepi, the U.S. could lean on DF Kobe Hernandez, who finished the tournament with the most completed passes (403). The U.S. also led all teams in goals (28) and assists (17).
Meanwhile, Mexico had a vacuum cleaner in midfield in the form of Victor Guzman, who had 26 ball recoveries to lead all players, giving El Tricolor an astounding 178 ball recoveries during the tournament.
Early first half goals from Griffin Yow of the U.S. and Munoz for Mexico resulted in a 1-1 scoreline that held until the 90-minute whistle.
Matters had to be settled in extra time and Mexico made the most of the extra frame, as Bryan Gonzalez, who finished the 2019 CMU17 as the joint assist leader with four, funneled in a cross from the left wing that met the stabbing foot of Israel Luna, who redirected into net in the 108’ to earn Mexico their eighth CMU17 crown.
Luna scored five goals during the tournament, including the winning score in the Final, to collect Golden Ball honors, while Mexico GK Eduardo Garcia took home the Golden Glove Award after conceding just three goals in six matches.
Many of the players who starred in the 2019 CMU17 are now key players for their Senior National Team today. After an action-packed tournament four years ago, fans can expect another exciting two-plus weeks of action in this month’s edition in Guatemala.
