Posted: Friday, September 19, 2025. 8:12 am CST.
Belize beat Guatemala 3-1 on Thursday the VII AFECAVOL U-23 Central American Championship in Panama. Photo Credit: AFECAVOL
By Rubén Morales Iglesias: In a thrilling upset that reshaped the semifinal landscape of the VII AFECAVOL U-23 Central American Championship, Belize defeated Guatemala 3–1 (21–25, 25–22, 25–15, 25–20) in the final match of Group A on Thursday night in Chiriquí, Panama.
Despite all three teams in Group A finishing with identical 1–1 records, point totals determined the standings: Panama topped the group with six points, followed by Guatemala (5) and Belize (4). The result sends Panama to face Nicaragua and Guatemala to clash with Costa Rica in the semifinals, while Belize moves into the second round to face Honduras in a battle for an eventual fifth place against El Salvador.
Belize’s Block Dominates
Belize’s inspired performance was anchored by a commanding net presence, out-blocking Guatemala 14–2 and outscoring them in attack (55–46) and service (7–3). Though Belize conceded more points through unforced errors (31–20), their aggressive play and team cohesion proved decisive.
Kaelen Ingram led the Belizean offense with 25 points, closely followed by Eleazar Mejía with 23. For Guatemala, Jerry Durán posted 12 points, with José Pérez adding 10.
Belize beat Guatemala 3-1 on Thursday the VII AFECAVOL U-23 Central American Championship in Panama. Photo Credit: AFECAVOL
Voices from the Court
“We played like a family,” said Belize captain Kaelen Ingram after the match. “We knew that to win, we had to support each other. For our next match, we’ll give it our all—we know every game is a fight.”
Guatemala’s captain Josué González acknowledged the challenge: “Matches against Belize are always tough. We couldn’t execute our game plan and struggled to recover once we fell behind.”
What’s Next
Belize will face Honduras in the second round. The winner earns a shot at fifth place against El Salvador, while the loser settles for seventh. Regardless of placement, Belize’s victory over Guatemala marks a proud moment for the team and reflects Team Belize’s resilience and growth on the regional stage.
Belize beat Guatemala 3-1 on Thursday the VII AFECAVOL U-23 Central American Championship in Panama. Photo Credit: AFECAVOL
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The post Belize stuns Guatemala to shake at U-23 AFECAVOL Championship in Panama appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Friday, September 19, 2025. 8:12 am CST. Belize beat Guatemala 3-1 on Thursday the VII AFECAVOL U-23 Central American Championship in Panama. Photo Credit: AFECAVOL
The post Belize stuns Guatemala to shake at U-23 AFECAVOL Championship in Panama appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
