Shabazz focused on remaining in League A

May 09, 2024 Sports

Jamaal Shabazz – Golden Jaguars Head Coach

By Rawle Toney

Kaieteur Sports – After the draw for the 2024/2025 edition of the CONCACAF Nations League, head coach Jamaal Shabazz acknowledged the challenge of the Golden Jaguars’ placement in a tough group. Nonetheless, his objective remains clear: to secure their spot in League A.

Guyana finds itself in Group A of League A, alongside Costa Rica, Guatemala, Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Suriname.

“The League A draw was a very interesting one for us. All the teams in Group A are ranked above us in the FIFA and CONCACAF Rankings, so, our main ambition really is to stay up in League A at the end of the season,” Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz stated in an exclusive interview with Kaieteur Sports.

According to Shabazz, “Most Caribbean teams, when they go up to League A, by the end of the season, they get demoted back to League B, so survival is key for us.”

The upcoming World Cup qualifier matches against Panama and Belize, according to the Golden Jaguars’ head coach, will serve as a litmus test for Guyana as they prepare for League A action in September.

Golden Jaguars celebrating after their 6 -0 win over Antigua to qualify for the Concacaf Nations League, League A.

“So, our focus, first and foremost is World Cup qualifiers in June and then secondly, when we enter September to play in League A, it will be based on trying to survive,” Shabazz said.

The fourth edition of the Concacaf Nations League will showcase the Confederation’s 41 men’s senior national teams, taking place during the FIFA Match Windows of September, October, and November 2024.

The Finals, where a new champion will emerge, are set for March 2025.

The tournament will maintain its three-league structure (A, B, and C), with teams allocated into the leagues based on their performance in the previous edition (2023/24).

In League A, comprising 16 teams, a Quarter-final round is incorporated. During the Group Stage, the 12 lowest-ranked League A national teams (determined by the Concacaf Rankings) are divided into two groups of six teams each.

They will engage in a “Swiss style” league system, with each team contesting four games (two at home and two away).

Following the Group Stage matches in September and October 2024, the top two finishers from each group (totalling four teams) will progress to the Quarterfinals. They will join the four highest-ranked League A teams (Mexico, United States, Panama, and Canada).

Scheduled within the September, October, and November 2024 FIFA Match Windows, the Quarter-finals for League A will take place in November 2024.

The climax of the 2024/25 Concacaf Nations League will unfold in March 2025 during the Finals, where the tournament’s fourth champion will be crowned.

CONCACAF, Jamaal Shabazz, League A, Rawle Toney, Suriname

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