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Belize Women U-17 qualifies, thanks to Kaite Jones’ 4 goals against St. Kitts & Nevis

HeadlineBelize Women U-17 qualifies, thanks to Kaite Jones’ 4 goals against St. Kitts & Nevis

BELIZE CITY, Mon. Aug. 26, 2019– Belize Women U-17 National Team was on the verge of elimination yesterday afternoon, when our star striker Kaite Jones exploded for 4 goals to help Belize gain a 4-3 victory over St. Kitts & Nevis, and thus secure the top spot in Group C of the qualifiers for participation in the Knockout Stage of the 2020 Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship next year March – April.

The top 16 ranked Concacaf teams, according to the July 2018 Concacaf ranking, automatically qualified to the Group Stage of the tournament, from which the top 12 will go on to the Knockout Stage, beginning with the Round of 16.

The next lower ranked 16 teams, of which Belize is a member, played in 4 groups with round-robin play this past week, and the winner of each group would qualify directly into the Round of 16 Knockout Stage of the Championship next year, joining the other 12 survivors from the top-ranked group.

After drawing, 1-1, with Group C host, Barbados, and beating U.S. Virgin Islands, 5-0, Belize needed a victory against St. Kitts & Nevis to keep hopes for a first place finish in Group C, necessary for qualifying to next year’s Knockout Stage; but we trailed St. Kitts, 2-nil, in the first half.  Well, that’s why they say, “It’s never over…,” as Belize’s top female striker in back-to-back national competitions, Kaite Jones (from Orange Walk’s Gladiators), raised eyebrows in Concacaf as she netted 4 goals for Belize, enough to gain the 4-3 win over St. Kitts & Nevis.

Belize and host country Barbados ended up tied with 7 points each, but Belize was better in the goal difference column (+6 to +2); Belize wins Group C, and will be in the Knockout Stage next year.

The road to the 2020 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India, scheduled for September 21 to October 4, 2020, passes though the Concacaf Knockout Stage, beginning with the Round of 16, and, it still sounds strange, Belize Women U-17 will be there! The top 3 teams from the Knockout Stage will automatically qualify to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Congratulations to our young women footballers on this milestone achievement!! Now the work begins for knockout competition next year with the best of Concacaf. Le’s go, Belize!!

P.S. Team officials include:  Coach – Wayne Casimiro; Asst. Coach – Iris Centeno; Goalkeeper Coach – Miriam Villamil; Physiotherapist – Amin Aba; Equipment Manager – Michael Benjamin; Team Manager – Jacqueline Pelayo.

 Again, congrats to all!!

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