U20 Reggae Boyz beat Bonaire 3-0 to kick-start Concacaf championship

WILLEMSTAD, Curaçao — Jamaica’s Under-20 national team launched their Concacaf qualification campaign with an authoritative 3-0 victory against tournament newcomers Bonaire in Group B action on Monday. The match, held at Stadion Rignaal ‘Jean’ Francisca, established Jamaica as early group leaders on goal differential.

The young Reggae Boyz demonstrated tactical superiority despite finishing the match with ten men following the dismissal of substitute Jamoy Dennis, who received two yellow cards during his second-half appearance.

Jamaica’s offensive prowess was evident throughout the contest, with Sean Leighton breaking the deadlock in the 24th minute through a precise close-range header. Deshawn Talbert doubled the advantage just before halftime, finding the net in the 43rd minute to establish a comfortable 2-0 lead at the interval.

The victory was sealed in the 71st minute when substitute Raequan Campbell-Dennis delivered the final blow, effectively eliminating any possibility of a Bonaire comeback.

This opening round victory places Jamaica atop Group B standings after other group matches concluded with narrow 2-1 victories for Turks and Caicos Islands over Cayman Islands and Puerto Rico against St Kitts/Nevis.

The Jamaican squad continues their qualification journey Wednesday with a 7:00 PM fixture against Turks and Caicos Islands. This tournament serves as the qualifying pathway not only for the 2026 Concacaf U-20 Championship but also determines participation in the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games and the 2027 Pan American Games.