Boyz fly out to face Mexico in WCQ

In 24 hours, Jamaica's 2022 World Cup Qualifying (WCQ) campaign will begin. However, it will start with the team already facing personnel challenges for their opening encounter against regional giants Mexico.

The Reggae Boyz left the island yesterday in preparation for their clash at the Azteca Stadium to begin a run of playing five of their first seven games away from home.

Jamaica will be without many of its British-based players because of travel restrictions resulting from Mexico and Costa Rica, their two away games being on the United Kingdom's red list countries. This will mean that they will only be available for the Sunday home game against Panama at the National Stadium. Red list countries are identified by the United Kingdom (UK) government as countries with significant spread of COVID-19. Players based in the UK and who travel to red list countries will be required to serve a 10-day isolation period when they return home.

Do our best

Although faced with that challenge at the start of their campaign, national goalkeeper and captain Andre Blake, in an interview with RadioJamaicaSports yesterday, said that they still have a job to do and will have to do it with the personnel that they have available.

"We can't really feel too sorry for ourselves. We still have to try and go out there and do our best," Blake said.

English clubs were initially reluctant to release their players for matches on the red list because of the lack of a quarantine exemption upon their return, leading them to miss a good portion of their domestic games. However, the English Premier League has since relaxed said stance. Jamaica will have three UK-based players for the Mexico game which consist of defender Adrian Mariappa, goalkeeper Dillon Barnes and midfielder Anthony Grant.

The 35-man squad features West Ham's Michail Antonio, who, according to Jamaica Football Federation general secretary Dalton Wint, is expected to arrive in the island later this week.

Jamaica's Reggae Boyz are expected to return to the island on Friday where they will have the full complement of their squad to choose from for the game against Panama on Sunday.