Jamaica Juggling for Haiti Showdown With Six players Out
Headache for Reggae Boyz ahead of sell-out World Cup tie
Jamaica will tackle Haiti at the sold-out Stade Sylvio Cator in Port-au-Prince tonight (7pm local time) with head coach Winfried Schäfer aiming to overcome his latest obstacles.
The wily German will be resting two keys players, influential captain Rodolph Austin and the talented striker Giles Barnes, as both have a history of sustaining serious knee injuries on the same sort of artificial turf that Haiti opts to use.
And Simon Dawkins, another important forward, will be absent after the Nicaragua goal-scoring hero returned home to England for personal reasons.
However, rumours are rife that he has stormed out because he was not utilised in Friday’s disastrous tie against Panama.
Dawkins had been a regular, playing or appeared as a substitute, at this year’s Copa America and Gold Cup.
To add to Jamaica’s woes, Garath McCleary (muscular tear) and Alvas Powell (knee) will also sit out the crucial World Cup Qualifier.
And shotstopper DuWayne Kerr left his special insole that he uses, so he too is ruled out.
Schäfer said: “We’ll have to find 11 players to build a team without Austin, Barnes, McCleary, Powell and others.
“We have to find a strong team like the one that won in Nicaragua. I want players who think of the team first and not about themselves.”
The likely line-up will see either Andre Blake or Ryan Thompson between the sticks. The flat back four will probably comprise Kemar Lawrence, Michael Hector, Wes Morgan and Mariappa.
Demar Phillips, Lee Williamson, Je-Vaughn Watson and Dever Orgill are the probable midfielders with Jobi McAnuff expected to sit just behind Darren Mattocks.
Schäfer has two raw strikers at his disposal, Junior Flemmings and Dever Orgill, who he can throw on with veteran hitman Clayton Donaldson biting at the bit to make his international debut. And Montego Bay United’s Alan Ottey is the other recognised striker available.
Veteran Williamson, who is expected to replace Austin, witnessed from the bench the Boyz lacking any fight as they were outclassed 2-0 by Panama in Kingston on Friday.
He admitted: “It’s been a dream of mine as a kid growing up wanting to play in the World Cup finals.
“To be in the squad aged 33 is my last chance of getting to the World Cup finals, so all the lads have to just go out there and do our best.
“We’re here to win the game, and we’ve moved on from the result in Kingston. As we aren’t used to the pitch then that’s going to be an advantage for them, but we should do well.”
Jamaica need to pick up at least a point in their second match of six in Group B of their Russia 2018 World Cup campaign.
The reversal to Panama was a torrid display best forgotten, and as hosts Haiti also lost their opening game — a respectable 1-0 defeat in Costa Rica — then a tight contest is anticipated.
Jamaica secured a 1-0 Gold Cup success over Haiti at the M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore earlier this year, courtesy of Barnes’ seventh-minute goal being drilled through the Haitian goalkeeper’s legs.
Schäfer added: “I analysed our match against Haiti in Baltimore and this team made pressure in the second half. But our team spirit was very good and we won a difficult match.
“What will be very important is the discipline in the field — and that’s tactical discipline.”
“Haiti have very good players in France and in Poland. It is a very good counter-attacking team and their last five goals were all scored from counter-attacks.
“So when we lose the ball we will have to press. It’s very important that all players must fight and work.”
Panama will host Costa Rica tonight at the Estadio Romel Fernandez in the other Group B match.
Assistant coach Miguel Coley admitted: “We know that Haiti is a must-win match as it’s such a tough group.”
JAMAICA SQUAD:
Goalkeepers – Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union), Duwayne Kerr (Sarpsborg, Norway), Ryan Thompson (Unattached)
Defenders – Michael Hector (Chelsea), Kemar Lawrence (New York Red Bulls), Adrian Mariappa (Crystal Palace), Alvas Powell (Portland Timbers), Wes Morgan (Leicester City)
Midfielders – Rodolph Austin (Unattached), Andre Clennon (Vaasan VPS, Finland), Kevaughn Frater (Harbour View), Garath McCleary (Reading), Jobi McNuff (Leyton Orient), Demar Phillips (Real Salt Lake), Lee Williamson (Blackburn Rovers), Je-Vaughn Watson (FC Dallas)
Forwards – Giles Barnes (Houston Dynamo), Simon Dawkins (Derby County), Clayton Donaldson (Birmingham City), Junior Flemmings (Tivoli Gardens), Darren Mattocks (Vancouver Whitecaps), Dever Orgill (IFK Mariehamn, Finland), Alan Ottey (Montego Bay United)