After a fond farewell at halftime from fans in attendance at the USA-Chile match in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. on Feb. 21, the U.S. U-17 national team departed for Montego Bay, Jamaica and 1999 CONCACAF qualfying. The U-17s, who downed the Tampa Bay Mutiny of MLS in their final tuneup match on Feb. 19, currently owns a nine-game international unbeaten streak. Here is a look at the three opponents in the USA’s qualifying group. The group winner will advance to The 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship in New Zealand, while the runner-up will meet El Salvador in a playoff for another berth to New Zealand ’99. Costa Rica: The USA will open qualifying on Feb. 24 against Costa Rica. Dating back to 1991 the U.S. U-17s are 2-1-2 all-time against Costa Rica. In their last meeting the USA prevailed 2-1 on Aug. 17, 1997 in San Diego. Costa Rica finished first in CONCACAF qualification in 1995 and ’97 and will be looking to make their fourth FIFA U-17 World Championship appearance. “Costa Rica is our opening match and it is very important to open qualifying with a positive result,” says U-17 head coach John Ellinger. “Their most dangerous players are their front runners and their attacking center midfielder. They play a typical South American style: fast, skillful, short passing and possession.” Honduras: Two days after the Costa Rica match the U.S. U-17s will play Honduras (Feb. 26). The match is only the second-ever meeting between the two countries, the first being in the 1992 CONCACAF qualifying tournament where the USA beat Honduras 2-1 in Guantanamo, Cuba, and finished first in qualification. “Again, their forwards and attacking center midfielder are the players we have to be concerned with. They are very solid technically but we expect them to play a defensive style of play and we will put pressure on them all over the field,” said Ellinger. Jamaica: The U-17s will conclude CONCACAF qualifying on Feb. 28 against host Jamaica. The U.S. U-17s are 4-1-0 all-time against Jamaica and 2-0-0 in ’98. Jamaica will be looking to make their first-ever appearance in the FIFA U-17 World Championship when qualification begins. “Jamaica is a big, physical team that plays a counter-attack style, using their speed on the wings and up front,” said Ellinger. “We have played Jamaica twice, and they were both tight and very physical matches. I expect the same in qualifying.”