ST JOHN’S, Antigua —

 Captain of Jamaica’s National Senior football team Donovan Ricketts was omitted from the 23-man squad which is being prepared to face Antigua and Barbuda here at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in tomorrow’s second round of Group A CONCACAF World Cup play-offs.

Ricketts, who suffered a “chondral bruise” of his right knee, was replaced in the 20th minute of last Friday’s opening round game against Guatemala at the National Stadium. Team doctor Derrick McDowell told the Jamaica Observer that Ricketts, who got married in Montego Bay on Saturday, was likely to make a quick recovery, as the decision to omit him from the travelling party was precautionary and taken in the player’s best interest.

There was another concern for the group as striker Luton Shelton sat out yesterday’s training session at the famous cricket venue, the Antigua Recreation Ground, suffering from groin problem. He, too, was substituted in last Friday’s game with the same complaint.

“I think he might be okay for the game, but I want a team that is fully fit for the game,” head coach Theodore Whitmore said following yesterday’s training session.

Also, up to press time, Ricardo Fuller, Rohan Reid and Joel Senior had yet to join up with the rest of the team, which departed the island on Saturday for Miami, where they had an overlay before arriving in Antigua just after 1:38 pm yesterday. The three players were expected in last night, having travelled direct from Jamaica to the eastern Caribbean island.

Whitmore and his technical staff, having scouted the Antiguans in their 1-3 loss to the USA in Tampa, Florida, last Friday, took their charges through a tactical session aimed at countering the home side. The coach was upbeat with the reaction of the players.

“I think it was a lot of energy, you could see the players were enjoying what they were doing as we worked on strategy going into the game against Antigua on Tuesday night.”

He continued: “We are doing our homework and we are to meet with the team tonight to discuss the game because we had a scout at their game against the US.”

And though there was very little time between the back-to-back fixtures, Whitmore was pleased with where the team is at ahead of the 7:00 pm (6:00 pm local time) kick off tomorrow.

“I am pretty much happy with where we are, we know it is going to be a tough game, as are Caribbean games, but we just have to come prepared,” he concluded.