2026 CONCACAF U17 Qualifiers, Feb. 2026: All Teams & Tournament Thread [R]

Isn't it great that they set it up this way to get one good game (maybe)? Can we split CONCACAF in half and have continental and island confeds? This is not working for anyone. The good teams get nothing from beating up on minnows and the weak teams have to be demoralized after being posterized. Having goal differential be a factor just makes it worse. Even youth tournaments often have nothing extra after 3-0.

 

It just seems like another example of CONCACAF throwing a bone to the 35 minnows in the federation. That these games aren't being hosted by the US, Mexico, or Canada. You know? Its the nations that would never even be considered to host a major FIFA or CONCACAF event.

We come at it from the perspective of a power. But if you're Anguilla, you get to play games that matter. Games against some better teams to try to measure yourself against, and also winnable games against fellow Caribbean teams. If we ask the Anguilla kids if its worth it, even though they'll get blown out by Panama, they'll still likely say YES! I don't think we need to feel sorry for them.

I think the U17 World Cup is still worthwhile from a development perspective, and as such we have to go thru this qualifying process. Let's get thru comfortably and without injuries.

 

Vamos Los Estados Unidos! 1pm v DR on FS2

 

Seems to me that if we win our game at 1, we're the first CONCACAF nation to officially qualify. Right? Mexico hasn't clinched yet, even though they've won three games.

So far the only other nations in the world to qualify are from Oceania. New Zealand, New Caledonia, and Fiji. [And the hosts Qatar, of course.]

As we speak, Turks & Caicos are 2-1 up on British Virgin Islands.

 

With the exception of Spivey, Jakupovic and maybe a couple of the centerbacks, this team seems to be mostly guys who have athletic upside or a decent chunk of current skill but not necessarily both.

Which is totally fine at this level, but it does make for interesting projection. You've got Ostrander, smartly distributing the ball but you do wonder if there's enough size and speed there as an adult ... and on the other end, Gardner, who feels a lot more like Houston Cade Cowell.

Molinari has some dog in him; that's nice.

DR is good enough to ever get in our end, which is the first time this whole tournament. We're going to need to convert on this one because they will get some chances.

 

I'd maybe add Forfor and Garcia to that group, so many we're a bit more well rounded than I thought.

Garcia, IIRC, is very young.

 

Our offense is not tuned very well to a team as capable as the DR. Way too much cherry picking / hopeful play where we act like we're attacking expecting the opposition to be poor or make mistakes.

 

The one time the Dominican Republic turns off they get burned.

 

We've made a lot of obvious crosses in and Jakupovic is generally nowhere near them.

I don't know if that's a lack of familiarity, poor coaching or simply having no idea where to be, but he's nowhere near on the same page.

He looked really good when he could get the ball easily and go one on one. But I think this is the challenge of youth football -- strikers rarely have to perform against defenses that actually defend.

DR looks more prepared to play a team of relatively equal ability than we do.

 

They sure do! Fair value here.

 

Sorry but how good is this Dominican team or how bad is our team to warrant us being 1-1 at the half?

 

They have kids at Spanish academies as well as MLS.

 

DR eliminated Mexico recently from one of these youth tournaments; I don't remember which one. They've clearly put some work into making them better. I don't know how, but I do know that since most youth teams never play together, putting some effort in here like Mexico and Honduras have at differing times in the past (as well as the effects of Bradenton) yields pretty strong benefits.

This is not our best team and frankly, I think it's pretty poorly prepared. We have more talent for sure, but quite a few players aren't here. Moreover, the team doesn't really seem to have much of a gameplan on either side of the ball.

I don't know that this team has played much together.

 

Pretty much every major chance except our goal has been a weird bounce going to an attacker. The DR goal was a great second shot, but it seems like most of the danger has been on fortuitous bounces.

Just a lot of hopeful play instead of any kind of precision.

 

Maybe I'm thinking of 2022; DR made the finals. I thought they eliminated Mexico but it was actually Guatemala.

Either way, DR has clearly put some work into its youth clubs.

 

How many repeated and intentional trips from behind have to occur before there's a yellow?

Team looks a bit more organized in the second half. Jakupovic has more energy; Spivey is getting forward and Steelman has a lot more intentionality in his play than Gardner.

Ostrander going off isn't great -- he was our conductor so it'll be interesting to see if we have anyone to direct the game.

 

Pretty poor 2nd half for the U.S.

 

That was almost certainly an incredibly dumb penalty -- Mbaye both misplayed that then compounded it. EDIT: That was outside the box but barely.

But I don't think the official wanted to reward a team he's favored all match.

 

Lucky that wasn't a DOGSO & not a PK.