Andre Blake To Miss World Cup Qualifiers
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He has an injury that will sideline him for 4-6 weeks. He is likely to be replaced by Jahmali Waite who plays for El Paso Locomotive
Reggae Boyz captain Andre Blake is set to miss the upcoming World Cup because he is nursing a knee injury. Philadelphia Union announced that the goalkeeper will be inactive for the next 4-6 weeks.
The American team revealed that the Jamaican skipper had undergone a minor surgery. He didn’t participate in his club’s last four games. In 2024, he has only started five out of 12 games.
This setback means that Blake will not be available when Jamaica competes in the World Cup qualifiers. The Reggae Boyz’s will play against Dominican Republic on June 7, 2024. Their second game will be against Dominica on June on 9th June, 2024. These games are expected to be played in the National Stadium.
Blake had earlier assured the Reggae Boyz that he would recover before the matches, but he has not recovered in time.
Blake’s situation was announced by Jim Curtin, the Philadelphia Union head coach. He was speaking during a pre-game press conference.
The Reggae Boyz will need to win the next two games in order to increase their chances of qualifying for the next World Cup. The squad is expected to be in camp by the end of the week.
Jamaica will be hoping to participate in the next World Cup, especially because it will be hosted in the Americas. The tournament will be hosted in three countries: Canada, Mexico and USA. This will be the first time that North America will be hosting this tournament since the United States did so in 1994. It will also be the first time that three nations host the prestigious event.
The tournament is expected to begin on June 11, 2026.
Curtin revealed that the doctors cleaned up Blake’s meniscus. There was some little loose flaps in the keeper’s knees. He said that they couldn’t wait for him to return to the team.
The goalkeeper recently signed a new contract with the club. Blake’s new contract has been will be valid until 2026, however club can extend it until 2027. Blake’s performances have definitely earned him this extension. He is the only Major League Soccer(MLS) goalkeeper to be named as the best three times.
Ernst Tanner, the Union Sporting Director, said that Blake has been a major contributor to the club’s recent success. He described him as one of North America’s best goalkeepers. Blake signed for the MLS club back in 2014.
The 33-year-old is a stalwart for the Reggae Boyz having made his debut in 2014. He has 26 clean sheets from a total of 75 caps. He led the Jamaican national team to the CONCACAF Nations League semifinals. He is likely to be replaced by Jahmali Waite who plays for El Paso Locomotive.
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