Following Wednesday night's washout of the Group A matches in the final round of the Concacaf Women U20 Championships qualifiers, Jamaica will now play their opening match against Canada on May 26.
They will then play the USA on May 28 with their final group match against Panama set for May 30.
Adverse weather conditions resulted in water-logged fields in the Dominican Republic on Wednesday night causing the games to be postponed.
The other Group A fixture between the United States and Panama was also called off.
Jamaica's U-20 Reggae Girlz Head Coach, Hugh Bradford, is gearing up for what he believes will be one of the most challenging and demanding Concacaf Women's Under-20 Championships in the country's history. However, Bradford remains confident in the depth of his 20-player squad, which he expects to showcase their competitiveness and secure a historic spot at the FIFA Women's Under-20 World Cup next year.
In the first phase of qualifiers, the young Reggae Girlz displayed their prowess by defeating Anguilla 6-0, Bermuda 2-0, and Honduras by a similar scoreline, securing the top spot in their group. However, their upcoming matches in Group A will prove to be tougher, as they face the defending seven-time champions, the United States, along with another powerhouse, Canada, and Panama.
Their campaign kicks off against Canada on Wednesday at 3:00 pm, followed by a clash with the United States two days later at 5:00 pm, and concluding with a match against Panama on Sunday at 2:00 pm. Meanwhile, Group B will witness Mexico, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and the host nation Dominican Republic battling it out.
To strengthen the team's chances, Bradford made eight changes to the squad that excelled in the first phase of qualifying. These alterations indicate his determination to secure one of the three World Cup spots up for grabs.
"Our expectation is to qualify, but we are aware of the challenges that lie ahead due to the tough draw. Therefore, we are taking it one game at a time and aiming to perform at our best in each match," stated Bradford. He emphasized the importance of depth at this stage, noting that the young ladies, especially those who were part of the previous tournament in Nicaragua, have demonstrated their determination to fight for World Cup qualification.
Among the new additions to the squad are defender Amelia Van Zanten, sister of senior Reggae Girlz winger Kalyssa "Kiki" Van Zanten, and West Bromwich Albion's Una Moy Lue. Additionally, players such as Canada-born Taijah Fraser, as well as American-born athletes Kaitlyn Ennis, Anaiyah Robinson, Njeri Butts, and Njeri Lewis, have caught Bradford's attention.
Despite facing challenges in achieving team cohesion due to unavailability for a planned camp before departure, Bradford remains optimistic about his team's ability to overcome the stiff competition. He explained that while it's beneficial for players to get touches on the ball, the local league doesn't fully prepare them for the tournament's intensity. Consequently, Bradford incorporated new players into the squad to bring a fresh dynamic to their gameplay. He believes that with the right application, the team will compete strongly in the tournament, which promises to be both demanding and exciting.
Following the round-robin stage, the two best teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage. The finalists and the third-placed team will secure qualification for next year's World Cup.
Jamaica's highest placement in the Concacaf Women's Championship, during its 12 appearances, was a fourth-place finish in 2006. Jody Brown, a diminutive forward, holds the record for the country's all-time leading scorer in the tournament, with nine goals.
Squad: Andrene Smith, Shaneil Buckley, Una Moy Lue, Davia Richards, Liha Williams, Taijah Fraser, Tiny Seaton, Kaitlyn Ennis, Natoya Atkinson, Destiny Powell, Akeila Johnson, Janiel Mignott, Amelia Zanten, Liya Brooks, Avery Johnson, Maya Raghunandanan,
Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz will have to contend with defending champions The United States in Group A of the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup set for June 24-July 16 in Canada and the USA.
The pair, who met in the final in 2017 where the USA got a 2-1 win, were drawn alongside Nicaragua and the winner of a play-in scenario involving Curacao, St. Kitts & Nevis, French Guiana and Sint Maarten at Friday’s draw held in Miami.
Group B, arguably the toughest of the tournament, will include Mexico, Haiti, Honduras and Qatar.
Group C will involve Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador and the winner of Matchup 8 while Canada, Guatemala, Cuba and the winner of Matchup 7 will contest Group D.
Prior to the Group Stage, however, there will be a preliminary stage.
This stage will see three teams advance into the group stage. Seeded teams are listed first for Round 1 matchups while the non-seeded teams are second.
Matchup 1: Trinidad and Tobago vs. Guadeloupe
Matchup 2: Martinique vs. St. Lucia
Matchup 3: Curaçao vs. St. Kitts & Nevis
Matchup 4: French Guiana vs. Sint Maarten
Matchup 5: Suriname vs. Puerto Rico
Matchup 6: Guyana vs. Grenada
The pairings for Round 2 have been pre-determined, and will be as follows:
Matchup 7: Winner Matchup 1 vs Winner Matchup 6
Matchup 8: Winner Matchup 2 vs Winner Matchup 5
Matchup 9: Winner Matchup 3 vs Winner Matchup 4
Dalton Myers is set to join Queen's University Athletics & Recreation on May 1, 2023 as Director, High Performance Sport.
Myers, who for the last year, was Assistant Director, High Performance Sport at Carleton University, will oversee all aspects of the Gaels' High Performance Sport program and its associated personnel. He will also provide strategic direction for the High Performance Sport department at Queen's, and further the development of its programs and services to ensure effective support of its coaches, student-athletes and teams.
"I am honoured and excited to accept the role of Director, High Performance Sport and join the Queen's University community,” said Myers, who holds a Master of Sport Administration from Ohio University, as well as a Master of Philosophy (Cultural Studies) and a Bachelor of Science in International Relations from The University of the West Indies.
“My passion for sports and commitment to student development have led me to this opportunity. I am thrilled to join this team of dedicated student-athletes, coaches, and administrative and support staff as well as the wider Queen's community.
"I thank Linda Melnick for the confidence placed in me. I am eager to start working with the Athletics & Recreation team to continue building on the many achievements and successes while fostering a positive student-athlete experience and an inclusive community."
For her part, Melnick said Myers will bring a wealth of experience to the job.
“I am delighted to welcome Dalton to Queen's Athletics & Recreation," said Melnick, Executive Director, Athletics & Recreation.
"He brings a wealth of experience in high performance sport from time at both the University and International level, and his commitment to fostering an environment that supports the wellness, inclusivity and safety of our participants will empower Gaels student-athletes and coaches to thrive in competition."
From 2018-2021, Myers served as a Corporate Planner for the Jamaica Olympic Association, developing and implementing strategies that enhanced support for national teams, in addition to coordinating IOC funding applications.
He previously served as the Director of Sport at The University of West Indies, Mona Campus, Jamaica for seven years, where he led the development of the University's high performance sport program, creating its strategies and programs to foster a pathway to success.
Haiti, Canada, Costa Rica and Honduras all qualified for the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup following the results of their matches on Saturday in the 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League.
Haiti defeated Montserrat 4-0 to claim the top spot in Group B of League B to clinch their Gold Cup place.
Canada topped Curacao 2-0 to secure at least a second-place finish in Group C of League A, thus qualifying them for the Gold Cup. Even though they were not in action, the Canada win also assured Honduras a berth in this summer’s Gold Cup as well.
Costa Rica will also play in the Gold Cup again after rallying late from a 1-0 deficit to claim a 2-1 win in Martinique in Group B of League A.
Haiti, Canada, Costa Rica and Honduras join the United States, Mexico, El Salvador, Panama and Jamaica as teams that have punched their ticket to this summer’s tournament.
The winners and second-place finishers from the League A groups and the winners of each group in League B group will directly for the Gold Cup.
The second-place teams from the League B groups and the third-place teams from League A will join the winners of each League C group in the Gold Cup Prelims.
The 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup will be played between February 17 – March 10, 2024, in the United States, Concacaf announced on Wednesday.
The Estadio Pensativo in Guatemala served as the location for the Wednesday’s matches in Group F and it was a happy one for Trinidad and Tobago, whose 1-1 draw with Barbados was enough to secure a third-place finish and a place in the next round.
The Bajan Tridents had dreams of a knockout stage appearance taking the lead through a well-placed left-footed strike from outside the 18-yard box from Shamari Yearwood in the 38th minute.
That goal held up deep into the second half, but a late charge from the Soca Warriors proved decisive, as Lindell Sween struck in the 82nd minute to earn his side a 1-1 draw and a place in the Round of 16 thanks to a better goal difference than Barbados.
The day’s other Group F game saw the USA beat Canada 1-0 through a Keyrol Figueroa goal in the 64th minute to advance to the Round of 16 as Group winners.
Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago were beaten by Canada and the USA, respectively, at the CONCACAF U-17 Championship at Estadio Pensativo in Guatemala on Monday.
The early game saw one-time runners up Canada secure a comfortable 2-0 win over the Bajans.
Liam Mackenzie opener the scoring for the Canadians in the 21st minute before Alessandro Biello doubled their lead seven minutes later.
Later at the same venue, Trinidad & Tobago were beaten 1-3 three-time champions, the United States.
The game was effectively over before the 30 minute-mark as Micah Burton in the 11th minute, Paulo Rudisill in the 14th minute and Taha Habroune in the 24th minute gave the Americans a 3-0 lead heading into the half-time interval.
The Trinidadians got a consolation goal through Derrel Garcia in the 78th minute.
All four teams will be back in action on Wednesday as Trinidad & Tobago will face Barbados before the Americans and the Canadians do battle.
The expanded 2026 World Cup may not necessarily feature three-team groups amid criticism of the proposed reforms, says FIFA's chief of global football Arsene Wenger.
In January 2017, the FIFA Council voted to increase the number of teams participating in the World Cup finals from 32 to 48, with the first tournament under the new format set to take place across the United States, Mexico and Canada in four years' time.
FIFA initially said the new format will contain 16 groups of three teams, with the top two in each advancing to a 32-team knockout stage, but that proposal has attracted renewed criticism recently.
Several thrilling group-stage finales at the current tournament in Qatar, where Japan and South Korea advanced in dramatic circumstances and the possibility of Poland and Mexico being separated via their disciplinary records emerged, have provoked calls to abandon the plan.
The existing proposal would see an end to groups being decided by simultaneous fixtures on matchday three, but Wenger has revealed the format could yet be altered.
"This is not decided, but it will be 16 groups of three, 12 groups of four, or two sides of six groups of four, like you organise two 24-team [tournaments]," Wenger said on Sunday.
"I will not be able to decide that, it will be decided by the FIFA Council, and I think it will be done in the next year."
Earlier this week, it was also reported FIFA were considering the introduction of group-stage penalty shoot-outs under the new format, with winning teams being granted a bonus point.
Sixteen cities were officially selected to host games at the 2026 World Cup earlier this year, with Vancouver, Toronto, Guadalajara, Monterrey and Mexico City joining 11 locations across the USA.
Reported Manchester United target Jonathan David believes the Premier League is "the best in the world" and says every footballer wants to play there.
David, who featured in all three of Canada's games at the World Cup, has started the 2022-23 season in fine form for Lille in Ligue 1, scoring nine goals in 15 appearances.
That has apparently caught the attention of English giants United, who are in the market for a new forward following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo.
David, 22, is not aware of any interest, but revealed he has ambitions to play in the English top flight "some day".
"I am aware of nothing," David said. "When I am at the World Cup I am just focused on trying to enjoy the World Cup and enjoying the moment.
"What happens after I do not know, we will have to see.
"The Premier League is the best league in the world and I think every player would want to play there some day."
Canada crashed out of their first World Cup since 1986 after losing all three of their Group F games.
However, David believes the Maple Leafs gathered enough experience in Qatar to put in a much better showing in four years' time when they co-host the tournament alongside the USA and Mexico.
"What makes the difference at the highest level is the smallest differences," he added.
"Any player who plays at the World Cup, no matter what the outcome, you become a better player, you learn from it, and it helps you grow.
"The future is bright, despite the three losses. There are some good things we take and learn from to try and do better in the future.
"What makes the difference at the highest level is the smallest things, not finishing our chances and not holding onto scorelines."
Morocco coach Walid Regragui believes his team are capable of "great things" after becoming the first African team in 24 years to top a World Cup group.
The Atlas Lions finished first in Group F after beating Canada 2-1 at Al Thumama Stadium while the other pool game, between Croatia and Belgium, ended goalless.
First-half goals from Hakim Ziyech and Youssef En-Nesyri proved enough with Nayef Aguerd's own goal - the first of the tournament - nothing more than a consolation for a Canada side who return home without a point.
Regragui said: "We set ourselves an objective of giving everything we’ve got and trying to get past the group stage. We’ve done that, so why not aim for the sky?
"We’re not going to stop here, we are a very difficult team to beat, so why not dream of lifting the trophy?
"Let's not get carried away but, if we are fighting fit, we know we are capable of great things."
After a dominant first-half performance, Morocco went into their shells in the second but determination and a little luck – Canada substitute Atiba Hutchinson planting a header off the underside of the bar – saw them through.
Regragui added: "It wasn’t easy and when you have this kind of opportunity to make history you think about it.
"I thought the first half display was the best we have had in a long time. It was a shame that we allowed that own goal as it shook us. In the second half, there was pressure on us but I loved it."
Regragui was only appointed at the end of August and Paris Saint-Germain full-back Achraf Hakimi had nothing but praise for the 47-year-old.
He said: "The coach has done an amazing job. He hasn’t had much time but he’s formed an amazing group. We trust in him."
For Canada, Thursday represented the end of a remarkable journey that saw them top the final round of CONCACAF qualifying ahead of Mexico and the United States to reach their first World Cup in 36 years.
English coach John Herdman said: "It’s the first time in a long time that we’ve got here and we’d like to have been here longer.
"We’ve enjoyed the ride, our players have turned up to compete, we’ve been fearless and we’ve had something to celebrate in every game. We’re a young team and we’re developing.
"As a football country we can be proud of the performance and the external world will be talking positively about Canada. We were front-footed and fearless.
"We raised the bar by finishing top of the CONCACAF group and we were two inches away tonight from getting our first point. We had the penalty against Belgium and battled all the way through against Croatia.
"The stats will tell you we weren’t far away. We’ll ask the hard questions as we head towards 2026 but this is not Canada walking away with our heads down, we can keep our heads up."
Morocco became the first African team to top a World Cup group for 24 years after beating Canada 2-1 on Thursday.
First-half goals from Hakim Ziyech and Youssef En-Nesyri proved enough with Nayef Aguerd's own goal - the first of the tournament - nothing more than a consolation for a Canada side who return home without a point.
Morocco must now wait for Thursday's Group E games to see who they will face in the last 16 at Education City Stadium on Tuesday.
Walid Regragui's side needed just a point to guarantee a place in the knockout stages for only the second time, and first since 1986, and they were gifted a dream start after four minutes.
Steven Vitoria’s backpass to Milan Borjan was a little short and the goalkeeper compounded the error with a heavy touch which fell nicely for Ziyech to chip the ball into an empty net from 25 yards.
Canada looked vulnerable every time Morocco came forward and more naïve defending contributed to the second goal midway through the first half.
Achraf Hakimi’s long ball from right-back exposed centre-half Kamal Miller and En-Nesyri ran on to it before firing under Borjan, who again should have done better.
Having posed no attacking threat whatsoever, Canada halved the deficit five minutes before the break. Sam Adekugbe skipped past Hakimi down the left and his low cross was diverted goalwards by the toe of Aguerd with Yassine Bounou unable to keep it out at his near post.
En-Nesyri thought he had restored Morocco’s two-goal advantage before the break, firing home after Canada had partially cleared Ziyech’s inswinging free-kick from the right but his effort was ruled out due to Aguerd blocking Borjan’s view from an offside position.
Perhaps sensing the size of their achievement, Morocco went into their shell as the second half progressed.
Alphonso Davies volleyed wide on the stretch before Canada came within inches of an equaliser after 71 minutes, 39-year-old substitute Atiba Hutchinson heading on to the underside of the bar with Alistair Johnston unable to bundle the rebound over the line.
Morocco held on, though, and a goalless draw in the other pool game between Croatia and Belgium sparked wild scenes of celebration at the final whistle.
Morocco boss Walid Regragui warned his team are "ready to die for it" as they look to secure a last-16 spot at the World Cup and send a Group F heavyweight home.
The Atlas Lions are on the brink of the second round after holding Croatia to a goalless draw and topping that result with a 2-0 victory against Belgium. They have recorded successive clean sheets in a World Cup for the first time since 1986, the only past finals where they went past the group stage.
Their third game in Qatar comes on Thursday against Canada, who cannot go any further after failing to pick up a point so far. Morocco may be able to qualify for the knockout phase even if they lose, such is their strong position.
Belgium, ranked second in the world, sit third in the group on three points, behind Morocco and Croatia who each have four. Croatia, the 2018 World Cup runners-up, will tackle Belgium at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, while Morocco and Canada do battle at the Al Thumama Stadium.
Regragui said his team "haven't done anything yet" and he emerged with a host of injury worries after the Belgium game, with star defenders Achraf Hakimi and Romain Saiss among his concerns.
However, the coach has no doubt over the collective will of his group.
"They're ready to die for it. That's the spirit I want to tell you about, they don't want to be benched," he said.
"We will face a hard team. They have been warning us a lot about Canada, so don't say that Canada is easy now. Canada are a great team, and we must respect them, so we can get a good result. The World Cup is not easy. We must fight towards the last minute, so that we can win."
Canada coach John Herdman has described his team's final outing at this World Cup as "a huge game". They were edged out 1-0 by Belgium before being picked apart 4-1 by Croatia, with the focus now on returning home with a consolation victory, which would be the country's first on the World Cup stage.
"We came here to make history," said Herdman. "This last game is about getting a result and winning for Canada, and really making this country believe that we're in the right direction for 2026."
Morocco have not lost in three previous meetings with Canada in all competitions (W2 D1), most recently enjoying a 4-0 friendly win in October 2016.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Canada - Alphonso Davies
After missing a penalty against Belgium, the Bayern Munich full-back made a swift impact in the Croatia game by scoring after one minute and eight seconds, giving Canada their first goal in a World Cup. He was typically dynamic and created two chances for others. Davies leads all Canada players for total ball carry distance (473 metres) and chances created (5) so far in the tournament.
Morocco - Romain Saiss
Captain Saiss made 11 clearances out of a team total of 21 against Belgium and made a tremendous nuisance of himself at Morocco's attacking free-kicks, getting a flick to Abdelhamid Sabiri's delivery to put the underdogs in front. He also won four out of four aerial duels, leading by impressive example.
PREDICTION
Stats Perform's AI model gives Morocco a 46.5 per cent chance of taking three points from this one, with the draw rated a 26.2 per cent shot. A Canada win should not be entirely written off though. Herdman's side were impressive in getting through to the World Cup and will want to show a final flourish, with their prospects of a win rated at 27.3 per cent.
John Herdman suggested he will lead Canada on home soil at the next World Cup and says their campaign in Qatar has laid the foundations for an improved showing in 2026.
Canada impressed despite losing their Group F opener against Belgium last week, but their hopes of reaching the last 16 were ended when they surrendered an early lead in Sunday's 4-1 loss to Croatia.
Herdman's team are looking to avoid the ignominy of matching El Salvador's record for the most World Cup games played without avoiding defeat (six) when they face Morocco on Thursday, but the Reds' dynamic style has won them admirers on their first appearance at the tournament since 1986.
With Canada set to join Mexico and the United States in hosting the next World Cup, Herdman is focused on helping the side continue their upward trajectory.
Asked at Wednesday's pre-match press conference whether he would be coaching the team in 2026, Herdman said: "I will be tomorrow. I will be excited tomorrow, absolutely.
"It's been 11 years of work in this country, and I have been pioneering for a long period of time.
"You will not find anyone as passionate as I am about this programme, or about these players or about the staff.
"You will not find anyone as passionate, who wants to take the company to that next level. You'll not meet anyone that's experienced this moment with this team, and the learnings that I'll take from this to take into the next one.
"The one thing you've seen from us is we've always come back strong. In [the Women's World Cup in] 2015, we finished sixth.
"In the women's Olympics in 2016 we got back-to-back podiums, for the first time in over a century. Five years later, they take a gold medal [at the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics].
"We came to this World Cup and [Belgium coach] Thierry Henry told me this team played them off the park.
"I'll take that. Because if that's our foundation, we've got a great four years ahead, and I can't wait to get after it."
Canada have not beaten Morocco in the teams' three previous meetings (D1 L2), and they suffered a comprehensive 4-0 defeat when they last faced the Atlas Lions in a 2016 friendly.
Croatia are the subject of disciplinary proceedings after Canada goalkeeper Milan Borjan was targeted by supporters during their World Cup match last week.
FIFA opened proceedings on Tuesday "due to the behaviour of [Croatia's] fans".
Borjan is an ethnic Serb who was born in Knin in Croatia but fled with his family to Belgrade in 1995 during 'Operation Storm' – a Croatian offensive in its war of independence.
He later moved on to Canada, the country he represents at international level, but has spent much of his club career in Serbia, where he now plays for Red Star Belgrade.
During Croatia's 4-1 win over Canada, Borjan was the subject of a flag in the stands that read "Knin '95 – nothing runs like Borjan". Offensive chants were also reported to be aimed in his direction.
"I have nothing to comment on that, it only speaks about them," Borjan said after the game.
"I heard that they shouted and insulted me. This shows that they are primitives and should work on themselves and their families, because they obviously have some frustration, so they come here to vent it."
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