SAO PAULO, Brazil — Both goalkeepers of Jamaica’s Under-17 football team, Odean Clarke and Nico Campbell, are nursing injuries, leaving the coaching staff in a dilemma entering today’s practice match against Desportivo Brasil Under-16s.

The game, which is scheduled to start 9:30 am (6:30 am Jamaica time), will be the fifth for the young Reggae Boyz as they continue preparations for their CONCACAF Under-17 Championship set for February.

With only two goalkeepers here for the six-week training camp at the Traffic Academy, head coach Wendell Downswell may have to cancel the game if Campbell fails a late fitness test.

Said Downswell: “Our major concerns right now is that the two goalkeeper are out; they’re not actively engaged at this moment.

“That is our worrying concern. We’re waiting on the doctor and probably we might have to postpone the game to a later date despite the fact that we have a limited time as we will be moving shortly,” he added.

Jamaica are coming off a morale-boosting 3-3 draw with Paulinia FC Under-18 on Tuesday and should be more at home against the under-16s, but cannot take them lightly.

“We’re looking forward to tomorrow’s (today’s) game because they are somewhat within their own age group and we’re looking for a good performance from the team,” Downswell stated.

“We had a very good session this morning for approximately one hour doing a fitness test and didn’t get to do much of a tactical work and in the evening they were engaged in some strength training,” he added.

The youngsters had a fitness test yesterday morning and only the goalkeepers are a cause for concern.

Last week, up to five players were inactive predominantly due to groin injuries, but striker Noel Johnson and Melvin Blair recovered sufficient enough to play in the last game on Tuesday.

“We are doing much better now as we are down to about two players with injuries. So we are rotating the players as not to burn them out concerning their physical capacity,” Downswell noted.

“We are injecting some players who have not played in some games and some players in different positions to look at them, so when we arrive in the tournament there won’t be any experiments,” he added.

To date, Jamaica have lost 3-2 against Saltense, 4-0 against Uniao, 5-1 against Desportivo Brasil and drawn 3-3 with Paulinia after being 3-0 down at half-time.

Wolmerian Jason Wright, with three goals, has 50 per cent of Jamaica’s goal and is expected to lead the attack once again.

Glenmuir’s Noel Johnson and Romario Williams of Kingston College, along with 14-year-old Junior Flemmings of Jamaica College, are the main attacking players.

The midfield, which is a concern, will be led by captain Omar Holness, alongside Romario Jones. Alvas Powell and Quante Smith seemed to have sealed the central defence spots, with Patrick Palmer and Jason Jacob the wingbacks.