Under-17 Head Coach Andrew Edwards reacted with delight at the news that his team will face their USA counterparts in two friendly international matches in Jamaica next month.

Though no venue has been announced, the games are due to be played on Wednesday, November 2, and Sunday, November 6, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) said in a release yesterday.

The CONCACAF powerhouse are also due to play an additional game against a local club on Friday, November 4.

“We are very happy that we are getting these practice games and it does not get better than going up against the USA in terms of quality opposition in CONCACAF,” Edwards told the

Jamaica Observer yesterday.

“We are cognisant that they (the USA) are very anxious to play us because they want to measure to see where we are given the results of the games against them in the last qualifying campaign, so it’s going to be a very important fixture and we know they are going to be very difficult to play against and we welcome such opposition as it will help our team to grow and become better,” said the tactician.

Although only two matches have been announced for the Under-17 Reggae Boyz, Edwards and his World Cup chasing lads are expecting the JFF to deliver more in terms of overall preparation for the CONCACAF Under-17 Championship in Panama April 21-May 7.

“Two games is a step in the right direction, as we have proposed to the JFF to give us in the region of eight to 12 international games, so two gets us off the mark and we look forward to others.

“All indications are that the Federation will be giving us all the support that we can afford and will be giving us all the tools within reach to ensure success, so we do anticipate that there will be other friendly internationals,” Edwards noted.

He suggested playing some of these proposed matches on foreign soil would be healthy in developing a culture of performing creditably in hostile environments, build confidence, and most of all, gain priceless exposure.

“We hope, though, that all of them (friendly games) won’t be on local soil because the travelling is very important, especially that we will be playing away, and we would love to play in an international tournament as well,” Edwards said.

The Manchester High School coach said he has composed a 28-man training squad in preparation for the USA encounters.

“We intend to assemble a 28-man squad to include four of the six overseas-based players who were in Trinidad and an additional two players out of Canada who we have looked at in the past, but who did not make the squad,” Edwards ended.

Meanwhile, JFF president Captain Horace Burrell re-iterated the governing body’s commitment to do its best to help the Under-17 team on their quest to qualify for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in India next August.

“We have always given a commitment to give as much support to the team’s preparation as humanly possible,” he was quoted as saying in a widely circulated release yesterday.

Last week, JFF general secretary Raymond Grant had confirmed in a report in this newspaper that his organisation was in “advanced negotiations” for “high level” friendly matches against two opponents in four games to be staged in Kingston and Montego Bay.

The USA, who will be competing in the 12-nation CONCACAF finals, are expected to arrive on the island on October 30.

Jamaica qualified for the CONCACAF Championship after finishing third in the eight-team Caribbean finals in Trinidad and Tobago a fortnight ago.

— Sean Williams