GUYANA ended the CONCACAF U-20 Championship qualifiers in Nicaragua with a heartbreaking 1 – 0 defeat to the host nation on Sunday evening at the Nicaragua National Football Stadium.

Coach Wayne Dover and his troops went into the match needing a win to advance to the June 20th – July 5th CONCACAF U-20 Championship in Honduras, but at the end of 90 minutes, Guyana picked up their first and only defeat in the tournament.

Guyana had a sensational run in the qualifiers – whipping Montserrat 6 – 0 in their opening game of the qualifiers, then they returned to out-play St Vincent and the Grenadines 3 – 0, and then played to an impressive 2 – 0 win against the US Virgin Islands, before going down hard to Nicaragua in their final game.

After the game, Dover said it was a “tough day at the office last night in our final game which we loss 1- 0 to the host nation…these lads needed every hands-on-their-shoulder to tap them and say well done. They fought with heart to get the result to take them to the championship in June. They didn’t get the results and it’s the end of the campaign.”

“As the coach of the team, let me lead the way. On behalf of the entire Executive Committee members and staff of the GFF, the Technical Department staff members, and the Technical Staff of the team, we say a big thank you for your effort. You’ve done it throughout with discipline, dedication and great determination,” an emotional Dover stated.

Meanwhile, Nicaragua, by virtue of finishing as the top team from the Group A qualifiers, have advanced to the round-of-16 of the CONCACAF U-20 Championship, where they await the winners of the Championship’s Group H that comprises Honduras, Antigua and Barbuda, Cuba and Guatemala. (Rawle Toney)