Torneo del Sol: U17 Reggae Boyz eliminated

The under-17 Reggae Boyz saw their campaign at the Torneo del Sol competition in Mexico end at the quarter-final stage when they were defeated 2-1 by Seleccion Metropolitano yesterday.

The contest proved a tightly fought affair as both teams sought to exert their influence on the game early on in the proceedings.

Yet, despite chances for both teams, the game went into the half-time break deadlocked without a goal.

The Boyz would soon fall behind, however, when Hector Rosas opened the scoring in the 49th minute before Yael Pacheco doubled Metropolitano's lead in the 75th minute.

Seymour Reid added yet another goal to his tally as he scored a consolation effort in the 85th minute from the penalty spot.

The strike was Reid's sixth goal of the campaign and he finished as the team's leading goalscorer.

The New York City FC Academy striker has been in fine goalscoring form throughout the campaign, scoring a brace in the team's opening match against Bajio before netting a hat-trick in the deciding group match against the Liga Premier team.

The win sees Metropolitano advancing to the semi-finals where they have booked a date against the Liga Premier team.

Mexico Under-17, the only national team left in the competition, will face off against Occidente in the other semi-final.

The Torneo del Sol was used by the Jamaica Football Federation as the team's final preparation for the upcoming Concacaf Men's U17 Qualifiers next month.

The team will now turn their attention to the upcoming assignment as head coach Altimont 'Freddie' Butler is yet to name his final roster.

Jamaica has been drawn in Group H of the qualifiers where they will meet El Salvador, the Cayman Islands and St Lucia.

The winners of the group will qualify for the 2025 FIFA Men's U17 World Cup in Qatar set to be held in November.

Jamaica are hoping they can secure their third-ever appearance at the international age-group competition. They qualified for the 1999 and 2011 tournaments.

Their first match of the qualifiers will be against St Lucia on February 10 at the Doroteo Guamuch Flores Stadium in Guatemala.