JAMAICA'S JUNIOR Reggae Boyz, the national Under-20 team, are poised for greatness with a spot at this year's World Cup Finals in Egypt looming large at their feet.

With three points from two matches and the top four teams guaranteed qualification, the Boyz are second in Group A of the eight-nation CONCACAF Under-20 Championship and will qualify a second time for the Federations of International Football Association Under-20 World Champion-ship, if they maintain that placing after this evening's match.

Double-header

The Jamaicans will tackle Central American team Honduras at 5 p.m. (4 p.m. Ja time) today in the opening match of a Group A double-header at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago. The United States of America will challenge El Salvador in the other match, set to begin at 7 p.m. (6 p.m. Ja time), with the top two also set to move on to the CONCACAF semis.

Group B includes hosts Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica, Canada and Mexico.

The Americans lead Group A with four points, while Honduras have two and El Salvador are bottom of the standings with one point.

Jamaica owe their favourable position to a courageous 2-1 victory over El Salvador on Sunday, when two of the team's top players were ejected in the first half and they ended the game with nine men.

Captain André Darby and striker Dever Orgill, a top goalscorer for the team, were the players who were red-carded. As a result, they are ineligible for today's match.

Capable of qualifying

However, Donovan Duckie, the team's coach, stated confidently that his replacements are capable of getting the job done and qualifying for the World Cup Finals, which will be staged in Egypt from September 24-October 16.

"I have no doubt that we can do well in the absence of these players and so I don't think it will affect the team in any way," Duckie said in an interview with The Gleaner yesterday.

Jamaica made their inaugural appearance at this age-group World Cup Finals at the 2001 edition in Argentina.

The country also qualified for two other World Cup Finals, the 1998 senior championship in France and in 1999 when the Under-17s advanced to the Youth World Championship in New Zealand.