Guatemala (pictured) trains ahead of its January 17, 2015, Central American playoff opener against El Salvador for a place in the 2015 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship. (Photo: Omar Solís Díaz)
GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala – Guatemala under-17 head coach Juan Manuel Funes announced Wednesday an 18-player roster for the playoff that will determine Central America’s last representative in the 2015 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship.
The Guatemalans will host the series opener on Saturday at the Estadio Julio Armando Cobar in Petapa, while the return leg series is slated for January 24 at the Estadio Cuscatlan in San Salvador.
To reach the playoff, Guatemala finished runner-up to Panama in Triangular II of Central American qualifying. It defeated Nicaragua 2-0 thanks to goals by John Mendez and Esteban Garcia, before dropping a 4-1 decision to the Panamanians.
GUATEMALA UNDER-17 ROSTER
(Central American playoff for the 2015 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship)
GOALKEEPERS: Angel Leonel Castro Godoy (Coban Imperial), Gilder Gustavo Lemus Mejía (Achik)
DEFENDERS: Gonzalo Gabriel Deras González (Municipal), Fernando José Fuentes Pineda (Municipal), Abel Gerardo Lemus Cruz (Municipal), David José Ramos García (Achik), Juan Diego Riley Cifuentes (Weston FC/USA); Mario Humberto Rodas Ramírez (no club)
MIDFIELDERS: Armando Aníbal Aroche Lucero (Club Menedy), Stefan Behrens Melgar (Guatestars), Julio Rodrigo López Morales (Club Menedy), John Roberth Méndez Sánchez (Municipal), Diego Fernando Raymundo Lima (no club), Erick Estuardo Soto Aristondo (Municipal), Víctor Manuel Valdez Yanes (no club)
FORWARDS: Marconi Yadir Estrada Rodas (no club), Esteban Gabriel García Velázquez (Nuevo San Carlos), Francisco Spross Cifuentes (no club)
