JAMAICA'S Reggae Boyz will open next year's final round of the Football Confederation (formerly CONCACAF) 2002 World Cup qualifying series against Caribbean arch rivals Trinidad and Tobago at the National Stadium.
The first set of matches will be played on February 27 or 28, 2001, with the final set to be played November 10 or 11, 2001. All matches in both the ninth round (October 6 or 7, 2001) and the tenth and final round must be played simultaneously.
During the draw at the Camino Real Hotel in Guatemala City yesterday the names of the six qualifiers, the winners and runners-up from Groups C, D and E from the semifinal round were placed in one pot, with the numbers 1-6 placed in the second.
In the final round, six of the dates are set for weekends, with four guaranteed for midweek, though an additional two could also be played on a weekday.
The dates have all been established to conform with a harmonised international calendar, and are the same as World Cup qualifying dates for UEFA (Europe) and CONMEBOL (South America).
The six teams which have qualified for the final round, Costa Rica/Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago and USA, will play each other twice, home and away, in a round-robin format.
Assistant coach for the Reggae Boyz, Carl Brown, said yesterday he was happy with the draw.
"I believe it suits Jamaica. I am particularly happy about our first game. I had always believed and hoped that we would play Trinidad and Tobago very early.
"We are two Caribbean teams and at least we will know how we can assist each other along the way," Brown said.
Brown added that it was a plus to have the final game at home.
"It is always important when you have to play your last game at home and if you need that game to go through then you will have the advantage and because of this I am fairly satisfied. I do not beleive that anything could have gone better for us.
"We have three home games in the first round which is very good... we have Mexico at home in the second round which also suits us. I beleive that we have been fortunate with what we have seen so far," he said.
Schedule
February 27-28, 2001 - Jamaica vs T&T, USA vs Mexico, Guatemale/Costa Rica vs Honduras.
March 24-28, 2001: Hondura vs USA, Mexico vs Jamaica, Guatemala/Costa Rica vs T&T.
April 24-25, 2001: Jamaica vs Honduras, T&T vs Mexico, USA vs Guatemala/Costa Rica.
June 16-17, 2001: Jamaica vs USA, T&T vs Honduras, Mexico vs Guatemala/Costa Rica.
June 19-20, 2001: Honduras vs Mexico, USA vs T&T, Guatemala/Costa Rica vs Jamaica.
June 30-July 4, 2001: Honduras vs Guatemala/Costa Rica, T&T vs Jamaica, Mexico vs USA.
September 1-2, 2001: Jamaica vs Mexico, T&T vs Guatemala/Costa Rica, USA vs Honduras.
September 4-5, 2001: Honduras vs Jamaica, Mexico vs T&T, Guatemala/Costa Rica vs USA.
October 6-7, 2001: Honduras vs T&T, USA vs Jamaica, Guatemala/Costa Rica vs Mexico.
November 10-11, 2001: Jamaica vs Guatemala/Costa Rica, T&T vs USA, Mexico vs Honduras.
NOTE: Costa Rica and Guatemala will meet in one-game playoff in Miami on a date between December 16 and January 6.
