Dominican Republic’s CMU20 heads up youth tournament stories

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As soccer in the Dominican Republic continues to grow, the Spanish-speaking Caribbean country’s Men’s Under-20 National Team’s qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics during the 2022 CONCACAF Men’s Under-20 Championship (CMU20) stands to play a key role to further developing the sport in the nation, according to CONCACAF, abbreviated for Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football.

For the first time in its history, CONCACAF said on Sunday that the Dominican Republic will participate in the Olympics after qualifying for Paris 2024, thanks to its runner-up finish in the 2022 CMU20.

“It is a landmark achievement for a national team program that seems to grow and improve with each year,” CONCACAF.

“Just reaching the CMU20 was an amazing development for the Caribbean side, as they needed two goals in the final six minutes to get a 2-2 draw with St. Lucia on the final matchday of CMU20 Qualifying to book their spot in the Championship,” it added.

By virtue of winning its CMU20Q group, CONCACAF said the Dominican Republic advanced directly to the Round of 16, where it emerged victorious 5-4 in “a wild affair” with El Salvador.

CONCACF said the Dominican Republic then followed that up with a 1-0 win over Jamaica to clinch its spot in the 2023 FIFA Men’s Under-20 World Cup and then a penalty shootout win against Guatemala to secure its place at Paris 2024.

“It was far from easy, as the Caribbean side had to rally from a 2-0 second half deficit against the Chapines to force the shootout,” CONCACAF said.

It said not only was Dominican Republic’s Olympic qualification a historical achievement, but the team also qualified for its first World Cup at any age level when it defeated Jamaica in the quarterfinal round of the CMU20.

CONCACAF said one of the many heroes of the group was Angel Montes De Oca, who had a brace in the Round of 16 victory over El Salvador and then scored the lone goal against the Reggae Boyz to send the Dominican Republic to next year’s U20 World Cup in Indonesia.