U23 Reggae Boyz Held In Olympic Qualifier

July 18, 2019 Neil-Monticelli Harley-Rüdd

Daley strike keeps Jamaica in with chance of reaching 2020 Tokyo Games

Donovan Duckie, the Jamaica U23 football team head coach, saw his side held 1-1 by Dominica in their Olympic Games qualifier in Kingston on Wednesday (Jul 17).

Tino Hope broke the deadlock after 37 minutes for the visitors, with substitute Nicque Daley levelling matters 10 minutes later for a share of the spoils at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.

Daley, the Kingston-born 18-year-old striker, plies his trade with Charleston Battery in the USL Championship – the second tier in North America.

The opening preliminary round of the CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship was always going to be a tight contest, and if Jamaica are to progress they will need to up their game in their final match on Sunday (Jul 21).

The U23 Reggae Boyz must top their three-team group if they aim to keep alive their dream of the ultimate prize of competing in next year’s Olympic Games in Japan.

Guyana were originally part of their four-team group, but the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) opted to withdraw from the qualifiers.

GFF president Wayne Forde claimed that they wished to instead direct their resources to prepare players for September’s Nations League.

Dominica face St. Kitts & Nevis on Friday (Jul 19, 4pm local time), and the Jamaicans tackle St. Kitts & Nevis on Sunday (6.30pm local time).

A total of 16 teams were drawn into four groups, with the top side from each group progressing to the Caribbean phase semi-final play-offs. The winners of these semi-finals will qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Games.

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