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Football-
News
Tyrone Marshall, a key defender
in Jamaica’s setup, is in a race against time to be fit for
Wednesday’s crucial World Cup Qualifier against Canada, due to a
quad injury.
Marshall, who plays for club team
Toronto FC in Major League Soccer, was withdrawn early in his game
last Thursday against Colorado Rapids because of the injury. And
he was left off Toronto FC’s roster to New York Red Bulls for
their game tonight.
But despite the ominous signs,
the Jamaican camp is holding out hope for the availability of the
veteran defender.
“It’s a partial quad tear,”
revealed Dr Charlie Roberts, head of the Jamaican team’s medical
staff, today. “But I would have to look at it. He tried to run on
it and felt a twinge, but he continues to get physio treatment.
When he comes we will have a look at it and see what happens, Dr
Roberts said.
Marshall is expected to join his
national teammates today.
Technical director Rene Simoes
appeared optimistic. “He was scheduled to play tonight for his
club team but he felt it. We spoke to him and he says he is okay.”
Marshall’s club team plays its
home games at the BMO Field, venue for Wednesday’s 7:30 pm (6:30
pm Jamaica time) kickoff on the artificial surface.
His experience on the surface is
considered a major boost for Jamaica, whose players, generally,
are not accustomed to such a playing surface, which has a
different bounce and speed of the ball. It also calls for a
different technique to strike the ball properly.
Following a near 90-minute
training session at the St Michael’s College School on Saturday
night, Simoes told reporters that the surface definitely required
adjustments.
“I don’t want to make it sound
like an excuse…it affects us, but we just have to make the
adjustments,” Simoes noted.
Meanwhile, Jamaica's
overseas-based Reggae Boyz have been filing in.
A total of 10 players, who play
locally, arrived in Toronto early yesterday afternoon and since
then they have been joined by Wolry Wolfe (Joe Public, Trinidad)
and Demar Stewart (Chengdu, China) on Saturday, and Andy Williams
(Real Salt Lake, MLS) and Demar Phillips (Stoke City, England)
today.
They are expected to be joined by
Omar Cummings (Colorado Rapids, MLS), Deon Burton (Sheffield
Wednesday, England), Ricardo Gardner (Bolton Wanderers, England)
and Ian Goodison (Tranmere Rovers, England) and Tyrone Marshall
later tonight.
Luton Shelton, of Velerenga in
Norway, will complete the 20-man squad and he is slated to arrive
in Toronto Monday night and will have just one training session
before the game.
The Rene Simoes-led team held a
training session at the St Michael’s College School, about 20
minutes from the team’s hotel in downtown Toronto on Saturday
night and another on Sunday. Monday and Tuesday the team is set to
practice at the BMO Field at 7:30 pm.
Earl Bailey
Editor - www.JamaicaWin.com
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