CONCACAF Under-17 c/ship …
MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica (CMC) – Favourites Costa Rica and reigning champions United States started the CONCACAF Under-17 Boys’ Championship with confident victories on Monday. Costa Rica put away Haiti 3-1 in the opening match of the competition in Group-A at the Catherine Hall Stadium, where the Americans had a similar margin of victory over political rivals Cuba three hours later.
In the opener, Costa Rica scored twice in the first half to put the Haitians under pressure, and then made full use of a one-man advantage in the second half, after the Caribbean Football Union side had Renato Etienne expelled in the 83rd minute.
William Quiros gave the Ticos the lead in the 24th minute, but Johnley Chery equalised a minute later, hammering a rebound into the roof of the net after Costa Rican goalkeeper Pedro Roman blocked his initial attempt.
The Costa Ricans regained the lead, when Gabriel Leiva struck a free kick from 25 yards past a helpless Wendy Thoby just.
John Ruiz extended the Ticos’ advantage, with a strike in the 47th minute, and Haiti were fortunate that the Costa Ricans missed two golden chances in the last 20 minutes.
Costa Rica face El Salvador on Friday in their second group match, while Haiti will need a victory against the Salvadorians today to maintain a realistic chance of advancing.
In the second match, the Americans, aiming for their fourth straight trip to the Under-17 Boys’ World Cup, grabbed the lead in the first half hour, and pumped-in two goals in the second half to dismiss the Cubans.
Alfred Karoma put the United States ahead in the 27th minute to give them a 1-0 lead at halftime, and before the Cubans knew what hit them, they were down 0-3 in the first five minutes of the second half.
Andrew Oliver held off a Cuban defender in the box before slipping the ball past goalkeeper Sandy Sanchez in the 47th minute before Esteban Rodriguez volleyed home a cross from Dillon Serna on 50 minutes.
Frank Lopez scored a consolation goal for the Cubans in the 68th minute, who lost for a second straight time to the Americans in the CONCACAF U-17 Championship.
The loss ended the Cubans’ four-game unbeaten streak in competitive matches dating back to the 2009 CONCACAF Championship.
The United States next face Panama on Friday, while Cuba will need at least a draw against the Panamanians today to have any hope of advancing.