MIAMI, Florida – The 2022 Concacaf Men’s Under-20 Championship in Honduras kicks off this Saturday with four matches on the docket, including host nation Honduras in action, along with reigning champions the United States.
The U.S. will take to the field first at the Estadio Nacional in Tegucigalpa where they will face Saint Kitts and Nevis to open Group E.
It will be just the second ever CMU20 meeting between the two nations, with the U.S. winning the previous affair 4-1 in 2017.
After claiming the top spot in the last two editions in 2017 and 2018, the U.S. would like nothing more than a winning start in their quest for a third straight CMU20 title.
But Saint Kitts and Nevis stand to pose a threat. Their lone CMU20 win came against Canada in 2018 in the group stage and another result against a North American opponent would be a great way to begin their fourth CMU20 campaign.
Cuba vs Canada
The second game in Group E will pit Cuba and Canada, also at the Estadio Nacional.
There have been two previous CMU20 contests between the two sides and both won by Cuba, in 2013 and 2015.
A new crop of Cuban players will be out to qualify the Caribbean country for its first FIFA Men’s Under-20 World Cup since Turkey 2013, but they will go up against a Canadian side that boasts players who have already received professional experience in both Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Canadian Premier League (CPL).
Costa Rica vs. Jamaica
The Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula will be the venue for the two games in Group H, beginning with Costa Rica facing Jamaica.
It will be the first ever CMU20 match between the two nations, and certainly Costa Rica will fancy their chances of a deep run. Among the players called to the squad are midfielders Brandon Aguilera and Jewison Bennette, who each already have appeared for the Senior Men’s National Team.
It was Bennette’s assist on Joel Campbell’s goal that earned Costa Rica a 1-0 win over New Zealand in the past week’s inter-confederation playoff and a berth in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Meanwhile, Jamaica have some rising stars as well in attack, including Kobi Thomas and Zion Scarlette, who both play in MLS.
Honduras vs. Antigua and Barbuda
Capping the day will be host nation Honduras against Antigua and Barbuda in what will be the third CMU20 meeting between the two sides. Their last contest was a thriller, with Honduras taking a 4-3 victory in 2018.
Honduras always boast up-and-coming players and one to keep an eye on is MF Miguel Carrasco. The Real Espana player scored in the 2019 Concacaf Men’s Under-17 Championship for the Catrachos and will look to do the same on home soil.
Antigua and Barbuda have some interesting players to follow, among them DF Jarvin Aiden of New York Red Bulls II and FW Drake Hadeed of England’s West Ham United.
