THE EFFECTS of Hurricane Ivan are still being felt throughout Jamaica's sporting fraternity and at this point none moreso than the young Reggae Boyz seeking to qualify for the Youth World Cups.
Both Jamaica's Under-20 and Under-17 teams have made their way to home-and-away playoffs against Haiti after dominating the first group stage against Caribbean counterparts.
Those games, slated to be played this weekend, have had to be postponed because of damage to Jamaica in the wake of the hurricane.
The governing body of CONCACAF, the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), through a letter sent by its events co-ordinator, Kerri-Ann Alleyne, explained that the organisation has agreed the games should be put off and has set new dates for the Under-20 competition. Jamaica will now host Haiti on October 16 and play the return leg in Haiti on October 24. The new dates for the Under-17 games are yet to be set.
ZONE ACTION
Other Caribbean zone action will start this weekend. The Dominican Republic, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Martin and Cuba will play in rescheduled Group D games in Cuba from September 17-21. That group was rescheduled from September 11-15 because of the threat of Hurricane Charlie. The winner will meet Trinidad and Tobago in a home-and-away tie next month. The winner of that tie will earn one of two CFU spots to the 2005 CONCACAF Under-20 final round competition. The other spot will go the winner of the Jamaica/Haiti tie.
Meanwhile, the CFU Club Champion-ships have also been affected. Matches involving Jamaican teams that were scheduled for September 22 and 29 have been pushed back.
Tivoli Gardens will play the Bassa Sports Club in Antigua on October 3 before playing the return-leg in Jamaica on October 17.
Harbour View will play the Ideal Football Club in Jamaica on October 6 before going to Montserrat for the return leg on October 20.
