Cummings back among the Boyz

Jamaica's Reggae Boyz will step up their preparation for the crucial World Cup Qualifier (WCQ) on September 7 against the United States, when they tackle El Salvador at the RFK Stadium in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, August 15, beginning at 8:15 p.m.

The Jamaican technical staff will use this game to get a fresh look at the condition of key players since the last WCQ on June 12, and has used the occasion to recall Omar Cummings, who did not play in the earlier WCQ matches due to injury, and they have also given striker Darren Mattocks a call-up.

Also returning is midfielder Damian Williams (formerly of Nybergsund, Norway); Obrian Woodbine (VPS Vaasa, Finland) and Shavar Thomas (Montreal Impact, USA). Thomas, a former team captain, last played for the Reggae Boyz against Honduras in October 2011.

Some players used in the last qualifiers are not available because of commitment to club or injury. Adriana Mariappa recently moved to new club Reading; Nyron Nosworthy is in preseason training with an early game in the new season; Rodolph Austin also has moved to Leeds in the United Kingdom and has asked for time to acclimatise; Donovan Ricketts has also moved to Portland Timbers, while Demar Phillips and Errol Stevens are nursing injuries.

Meetings

The delegation departs the island on Monday, August 13 at 6:40 a.m. and will be joined by the overseas-based players from the US and Europe on the same day.

The Boyz have played El Salvador on 18 occasions, with Jamaica winning eight times and losing on five occasions.

El Salvador, now ranked 66th to Jamaica's 63rd, have not beaten Jamaica since 2000 when the teams met in the 2002 World Cup Qualifiers in San Salvador. The result then was a 2-0 win for the hosts.

One of the most famous victories Jamaica had over El Salvador was in the 2006 WCQ when Jamaica beat El Salvador 3-0 in El Salvador. This was Jamaica's first-ever WCQ victory on Central American soil. The last time Jamaica played El Salvador was in early 2011 when Jamaica won 3-2 in San Salvador. Dane Richards scored a brace that day, while Omar Cummings scored the other.

SQUAD: Dwayne Miller, Lovel Palmer, O'Brian Woodbine, Jermaine Taylor, Jevaughn Watson, Andrae Campbell, Jason Morrison, Damian Williams, Ryan Johnson, Darren Mattocks, Omar Cummings, Dane Richards, Shavar Thomas, Luton Shelton, Dicoy Williams, Jacomena Barrett, Ewan Grandison, Keneil Moodie, Xavian Virgo, Joel Senior.

Officials: Everton Tomlinson (head of delegation), Theodore Whitmore (head coach), Alfredo Montesso (assistant coach), Armando Bracali (goalkeeper coach), André Waugh (physical trainer), Roy Simpson (team manager), Dr Derrick McDowell (team doctor), Norman Stone (equipment manager), Nodley Wright (press officer).