GORDON WILLIAMS, Contributor

The Reggae Boyz appear to have tacked on another friendly international in the United States to their preparation schedule for next month's World Cup qualifier against Canada.

Jamaica, already scheduled to play El Salvador on July 25 in Houston, Texas, are also likely to face Guatemala, another Central American team, on August 6 in Chicago, Illinois.

Sources indicate that negotiations are well advanced and that the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has agreed to terms for the match, which will be played at Toyota Park.

United States-based Power Promotions, which is putting on the match, has confirmed the fixture and representatives of the company are expected in Chicago early next week to work out details.

"Jamaica versus Guatemala is confirmed for August 6," Hugo Bandi, who represents the promoters, said yesterday.

warm-ups

The El Salvador and Guatemala games are expected to serve as warm-ups for Jamaica's opening CONCACAF semi-final round against Group B rivals Canada on August 20 in Toronto, Canada. Honduras and Mexico are also in that group. Two teams will move on to the final group stage where CONCACAF's qualifiers for World Cup 2010 in South Africa will be decided.

The Boyz, ranked 94th by FIFA, football's world governing body, advanced to that round of qualifiers after beating The Bahamas 13-0 on aggregate last month. Both "home" and "away" fixtures were played in Jamaica.

El Salvador and Guatemala, which also advanced to the semi-final round, are each using their game against Jamaica for World Cup preparation as well. El Salvador, ranked 117th, are in Group C with Costa Rica, Haiti and Suriname. Guatemala, 104th, will face Trinidad and Tobago, United States and Cuba. Both teams begin group play on August 20.

Toyota Park serves as the home of Chicago Fire of US Major League Soccer. It holds a capacity 20,000 for football and will host the US vs T&T qualifier on September 10.

Gordon Williams is a Jamaican journalist based in the United States.