CONCACAF U17 Qualifiers-Junior Jags pull off 1-1 draw against T&T

Guyana’s National Under-17 team the Junior Jaguars got their CONCACAF U17 Qualifiers campaign off to a positive start on Friday night, when they held out for a 1-1 draw against rivals Trinidad and Tobago at the Estadio Nacional De Costa Rica.
Head Coach Marco Bonofiglio opted for a starting XI that included Captain Shaquan David and Goalkeeper Tejpal Nijjar, plus Joshua Morris, Michael Joseph, Tamer Unver, Mikel Mills, Quancey Fraser, Dakarai Drakes, Jaden Harris, Luke Langevine and Max Robinson.

Guyana were the first to strike, in the 33rd minute, when Quancey Fraser’s corner kick was fumbled by the Trinidadian goalkeeper, and Joshua Morris got hold of the loose ball and tapped it into the nets for Guyana’s goal.
Guyana held on to the lead for the remainder of the first half.
The twin-island republic were able to level things early in the second half, when Philip Nelson capitalised on a blunder in Guyana’s defense to send a shot past Guyana’s keeper Nijjar into the right corner of the net in the 54th minute.
Great goalkeeping followed on both sides of the pitch to ensure the scores remain locked at full time. Guyana’s national U17 Head Coach Marco Bonofiglio was seemingly pleased with the drawn result.
“First point in Guyana history, first goal in Guyana history, first tie in Guyana history, tonight we made history, extremely happy,” the coach shared in a social media post disseminated by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF).
Guyana’s next game in the Qualifiers will be played on Tuesday, February 11, against Sint Maarten at 18:00hrs local time. Guyana is in Group B of the qualifiers alongside hosts Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, British Virgin Islands and St. Maarten.
The CONCACAF Qualifiers comprise eight groups, with the winner of each group securing a spot in the FIFA U17 Men’s World Cup, scheduled for Qatar in November 2025.