The Jamaican national football team, the Reggae Boyz, have suffered an important setback on the eve of the commencement of the CONCACAF Men’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers as goalkeeper and captain Andre Blake has been ruled out for the next six weeks due to injury.
Blake underwent meniscus surgery, and according to reports, he will miss Jamaica’s first World Cup qualifying game on June 6 in Kingston, followed by a match against Dominica. The announcement was made by Blake’s Major League Soccer club, the Philadelphia Union, during a recent press conference ahead of the team’s upcoming match against Toronto FC.
The team’s head coach, Jim Curtin, stated that “Blake has been out since April, and Curtin told the outlet, “It was a minor surgery with a couple of little loose flaps in there, and they cleaned up his meniscus, which had a little minor tear. But you understand how much we miss him and how vital he is to our squad,” Curtin said.
While Blake recovers, first-year keeper Oliver Semmle will remain in net, having already played in 12 regular-season games for the team since signing during preseason. In his latest appearance, Semmle made four saves, helping lift his team to their second consecutive clean sheet.
This injury could not have come at a worse time, as Jamaica’s head coach, Heimer Hallgrimsson, will be concerned about his recuperation in time for the Copa America group stages, which begin on June 22. The Reggae Boyz will face Mexico, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Panama.
Blake, who has battled injuries this season, has made only eight appearances across all competitions and has 75 caps for his country. He also recently extended his contract with Philadelphia until 2026, with an option for another year. If Blake is not able to make a comeback soon enough, hoping all goes well with his recovery, coach Hallgrimson will have to call on the services of possible alternatives such as Jahmali Waite, who plays for El Paso Locomotive in the USL Championship, or Mount Pleasant number one Shaquan Davis.
