U-19 Football Team Wins Friendly Match in Mexico, Prepare for UNCAF Championship
At news time tonight, a second friendly football match is taking place in Chetumal between the U-19 Belize Men’s National Football Team and the CAR M.M., a team from Cancun. It is being streamed live on the Football Federation of Belize Facebook page. It is the second of four international friendlies as the team prepares for the UNCAF Championships, which will be hosted in Belize from April twenty-fourth to the thirtieth. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
On Sunday, the U-19 Belize Men’s National Football Team blasted Рuсté Саñеrоѕ in a three-nil finish in the first of four international friendly matches – three in Chetumal and one in Belmopan.
Philip Marin
Philip Marin, Technical Director, Football Federation of Belize
“We are about to play three friendly match. We played the first one on Sunday in the village of Pucte, Quintana Roo. We won that match three-nil. We had Giovanni Hope that scored in the first half and we also have Kevin Higinio and Allison Perez and we won that game three-nil. Today we will be playing a team from Cancun and that game is at seven. Our boys are excited and we are ready.”
The team is a mix of Belizean and international players, including about four from the Senior Men’s National Team. Among those players is Isaac Castillo who as goalkeeper is bringing that level of professionalism and experience to his teammates.
Isaac Castillo
Isaac Castillo, Goalkeeper, U-19 Belize National Football Team
“Every opportunity we get to be together to better the team is always good for us. The guys are playing well right now. We won our first game three to zero. We have our second game today and we are hoping for a better result, better performance from the team on a whole. We have been playing together from January and it really help us a lot. We understand each other, the chemistry is getting better amongst the team and we are playing at a higher level.”
Eldon Reneau
Eldon Reneau, Center Field, U-19 Belize National Football Team
“Our strategy for the game is quick movements, one two touch passes, advance forward fast, open up field; basic football basically we are playing.”
The international friendly matches is serving as great practice for the team that transitions into the UNСАF U-19 Championship which will be played at the F.F.B. and the Isidoro Beaton Stadiums from April twenty-fourth to the thirtieth.
Philip Marin
“We will have eight teams that will be visiting Belize; seven from Central America and one from outside Central America which is Puerto Rico. There are two groups. So we will have Group A which will be Belize, Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. Our matches will be at the F.F.B. stadium. And in Group B we will have Panama, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico. Their matches will be at the Isidoro Beaton. The times for the matches are four and seven. All our home games, all Belize matches, will be at seven p.m. at the F.F.B. stadium. So these four friendly matches, three in Chetumal and one in Belize, are very important for us so we can go into the UNCAF tournament with our team tactically, technically, mentally prepared because exposure is very important before an international event.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
