And they did it! Playing in San Pedro Sula, Honduras on 29 June 2022, the Dominican Republic U20 football team defeated Jamaica in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Concacaf Men’s Under 20 championship taking place in Honduras. To make the quarterfinals, the DR had defeated El Salvador, a more experienced team.
On Wednesday, 29 June, President Luis Abinader sent congratulations to the team via Twitter. “Full of joy I join the enthusiasm of all Dominicans, after the Dominican National Soccer Team (@sedofutbol) qualified to the FIFA U20 World Cup, for the first time in history. They are a true #OrgulloDominicano, congratulations!”, reads President Abinader’s message.
Clinching the berth to the 2023 FIFA Men’s Under-20 World Cup was a historic first for the Dominican Republic. The DR will now face Guatemala in the semifinals, with the winner qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which would be a first ever Olympic berth for either side.
The 1-0 victory over Jamaica is the first time any Dominican Republic team has qualified for a FIFA World Cup at any age level.
The Concacaf press release explains that the game began with a bang for the Dominican Republic, as Angel Montes De Oca gave the islanders a 1-0 lead in the 9’ with a fantastic individual effort. Montes De Oca received a throw-in, took a touch to get past a defender and then hammered in a shot off the half-volley to stun the Jamaican defense and hand his side the lead. It was Montes de Oca’s third goal in the past two games.
Jamaica looked to respond before halftime and a couple long-range efforts forced some fingertip saves from Dominican Republic GK Xavier Valdez. It was the same story in the second 45 minutes, with Jamaica trying to get back on level terms, but the Dominican Republic held firm until the final whistle to secure the coveted World Cup berth. The 2023 FIFA Men’s U-20 World Cup will take place in Indonesia.
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30 June 2022