Guyana’s under-15 boys will face Iran, Mauritius, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam and Vietnam across three days of qualification matches at the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival in Azerbaijan.
The young Golden Jaguars open against the Islamic Republic of Iran on October 24 before playing twice on each of the following two days. The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has named a 14-player squad, captained by Western Tigers FC defender Nyron Barrow, for the trip to Baku.
Matches will be played at the Hovsan Competition Complex under an eight-a-side format, with two 20-minute halves.
The schedule released by the GFF places Guyana’s opening match against Iran at 11:30 a.m. on October 24. Mauritius will be their next opponents at 10:15 a.m. on October 25, followed by Bosnia and Herzegovina at 5:00 p.m.
Guyana will complete the qualification stage on October 26, meeting Brunei Darussalam at 9:00 a.m.and Vietnam at 3:45 p.m.
Head Coach Trevon Lythcott will oversee the squad, with Jamal Pedro serving as assistant coach and Delon Young as goalkeeper coach. The team is preparing to leave Guyana for an event expected to bring together more than 3,000 players, coaches and officials from across the world.
The selection combines players based in Guyana with those attached to overseas institutions and clubs. GFF President Wayne Forde said the U-15 Youth Ensemble Championship had helped strengthen the process of identifying players for national representation by allowing technical staff to assess emerging talent in organised competition.
Forde said sustained investment in coaching, resources and opportunities for young footballers was necessary to improve the country’s future national teams. He viewed the trip as an opportunity for the players to learn from different football environments and gain a clearer understanding of the demands associated with the professional game.
The squad’s two goalkeepers are Christiano Solomon of Paradise Invaders FC and Royston Winter of Gladiators FC.
Captain Barrow is joined in defence by Tyler Abrams of Den Amstel FC, Joel Griffith of Vurlon Mills Football Academy and Lawrence Wong, also of Vurlon Mills Football Academy.
Five midfielders have been selected; Mark Stewart of South Side High School International, Kijani Drakes of Met Oval Academy International, Mateo Morel of Florida Kraze Krush FC, Jashan Haynes of Vurlon Mills Football Academy and Malachi Muhammad of Den Amstel FC.
The attacking group consists of Joel Stephen of Buxton Stars FC, Jaden Christian of Fruta Conquerors FC and Callum La-Rose of North Toronto FC.
The FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival aims to give more member associations access to international competition, including countries that find it difficult to qualify for traditional FIFA tournaments. Alongside competitive matches, it is intended to encourage international exchange and help nations compare the progress of their youth programmes.
Guyana’s participation will expose the players to different styles of football and provide experience they can carry into their continued development within the national setup. Forde said the federation would keep strengthening opportunities for young talent to progress.
As departure preparations continue, the GFF has encouraged the squad and coaching staff to approach the tournament with discipline and determination, represent Guyana proudly and make full use of the chance to learn.
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