West Ham United’s Michail Antonio is set to sit out Jamaica’s crucial match against the United States after head coach Steve McClaren revealed the forward has lost his passport.
Jamaica are preparing to take on Mauricio Pochettino’s USA in St Louis, Missouri, aiming to overturn a 1-0 deficit in the second leg of their CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final. Alongside Antonio, Charlton Athletic’s Kaheim Dixon is also ruled out as the Jamaican FA’s attempts to secure emergency visas have been unsuccessful.
Hammers star Antonio was sidelined for the first leg due to suspension but had intended to join the squad in the US for the return trip. McClaren said: “Antonio and Dixon lost passports, it was too late to get new ones and to get visas to come over here, so they are missing.”
Furthermore, Brentford’s Ethan Pinnock will be absent due to an injury. On a brighter note, former Manchester United player Ravel Morrison is fit and ready to play during his stint with Precision FC in the UAE’s third division.
While Ricardo Pepi scored the decisive goal in the first leg, handing Pochettino his inaugural competitive win as USA boss, McClaren feels his team deserved more, reports Football London.
(Image: Getty Images)
(Image: Getty)
“I think we were unfortunate to come away with a defeat, albeit by just one goal,” he stated. “We felt we did enough to draw the game. We didn’t in the end, but we are still in the tie.”
“Away from home, we’ve been in good form recently. This will be a completely different game altogether. We know that USA on home soil is a totally different team, so we expect another very difficult game but come here with optimism and belief.”
The absence of Antonio from Jamaica’s lineup has turned out to be a stroke of luck for West Ham during their challenging season. With Antonio out, Hammers manager Julen Lopetegui can breathe easier about the fitness of his only available recognised striker before the upcoming match against Newcastle United next Monday.