The Cayman Islands faces a tough group at a regional football competition.
Bolstered by the inclusion of several players who participated in the inaugural Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football Boys Under-15 Championship one year ago, the Cayman Islands Boys U-17 team seeks to advance from a challenging group at the Caribbean Football Union qualifiers in Jamaica.
The Cayman Islands tackle host Jamaica on Monday at 7 p.m. at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex in Kingston. It is the latest chapter in a decades-old rivalry between the two nations. Cayman played Guadeloupe on Saturday evening and will play its final contest against the U.S. Virgin Islands on Aug. 27 at 4 p.m.
All four teams are seeking to advance from the Group One qualifiers to the final round, scheduled for Haiti next month. The Haitian stage of the competition will feature four group winners and two squads that placed second in the group stages in the run-up to the CONCACAF U-17 Boys Championship.
Eighteen players in the 20-member Cayman national team participated in last year’s CONCACAF tournament, which Cayman Islands Football Association Vice President Bruce Blake says bodes well for the Jamaica tournament.
“CIFA kept this team together after their breakout showing against the region last year,” Blake said. “Keeping teams together from the junior to senior level is a key part of CIFA’s strategic plan that will lay the foundation for achieving success.”
Like last year, outstanding forward Zachary Scott will captain the side, coached by former national defender Dion Brandon. Leighton Thomas Jr., who scored 12 goals in five matches to claim the Golden Boot winner, will play a key role in Cayman’s offense. Also joining the team is U.K.-based midfielder Sebastian Martinez of Swindon Town.
The Cayman roster is: midfield – Ashante Jackson, Jordan McLean, Elijah Seymour, Ramon Sebastian Martinez, Ricardo Damaso, Ryan Jackson, Leighton Thomas, Kaled Giron, Jordon Myles; defense – Kirby Tibbetts, Dante Ramoon, Kameron D’Hue, Livingston Bailey; forward – Maikel Ebanks-Pol, Stephen Rivers, Zachary Scott, Joshua McKenzie, Kieran Hindness; goalkeeper – Leo Ebanks, Roger Jackson.
The technical staff is: head coach, Dion Brandon; assistant coach, Michael Johnson; manager, Owen Dinnall; physiotherapist, Guy Waller; equipment manager, Floyd McKenzie; director of national teams, Renard Moxam.
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