Mattocks injured ... but striker says he'll be OK for crucial WCQ matches

Gordon Williams, Gleaner Writer

A hamstring injury forced national striker Darren Mattocks to exit his Major League Soccer (MLS) game early Saturday night, raising questions about his availability for Jamaica's two crucial World Cup Qualifiers (WCQ) this month.

Mattocks limped out of Vancouver Whitecaps' home fixture against MLS Western Conference rivals Seattle Sounders in the first half, after he fell heavily under a defender's challenge and then collided with the goalkeeper.

It is unclear if Mattocks will play his club's next game on Wednesday. During a post-game press conference Saturday night, his coach Martin Rennie described the injury as a muscle strain. Yesterday, the 22-year-old received treatment for the injury he called "minor" and said he would be "okay".

Mattocks sought to ease concerns about his fitness for Jamaica's upcoming games, saying the Reggae Boyz didn't play until mid-October and by "then I'm long back".

The injury came after Mattocks' clever 'dummy' move, while receiving a pass in the Sounders' third of the field, put him slightly ahead of last defender Jeff Parke in a race to goal. Parke made contact with Mattocks and appeared to pull back the speedy striker just before he entered the penalty area. The former Bridgeport High star tumbled into the box where he made contact with onrushing Sounders 'keeper Michael Gspurning.

NOTICEABLE LIMP

No foul was signalled by the referee, but the Portmore, St Catherine, native grabbed his right leg and stayed on the ground. Mattocks received on-field medical attention before being helped to his feet. He took a few steps then signalled to the Vancouver bench he could not continue. Once on the sidelines he tried to run, but showed a noticeable limp. Vancouver replaced Mattocks in the 42nd minute. He was later seen with an ice pack strapped to his right leg.

Mattocks has been a bright spot for Vancouver this season. The former Bridgeport High star was selected second overall in January's MLS SuperDraft by the club after playing two seasons at the University of Akron in the United States. He is Vancouver's leading scorer, with seven goals in 19 appearances for the Canada-based club in North America's premier professional football league.

Mattocks was recently voted top MLS player under age 24 and is among the Rookie of the Year favourites.

Saturday's setback was not the first time Mattocks has been injured this season. Burns caused by a kitchen accident forced him out of several games early in the MLS campaign.

TOUGH BATTLE

Vancouver is locked in a tough battle to secure a spot in the 2012 MLS post season. Going into Saturday's game the club was hanging on to the fifth and final Western Conference playoff spot with a handful of regular season games remaining.

Jamaica could also be hampered if Mattocks is unable to recover. He is among the most promising young Boyz. In August, Mattocks played his first senior international as a second-half substitute against El Salvador in a friendly. On September 7, he made a similar appearance in a World Cup Qualifier, during Jamaica's historic first win against the US. He was an unused substitute in the return leg - Jamaica's 1-0 loss - in the US.

Jamaica have two games remaining in Group A of the CONCACAF semi-final round. The Boyz face Guatemala away on October 12 and Antigua and Barbuda at the National Stadium four days later.

Currently, Jamaica are tied on seven points with US and Guatemala at the top of the group. Two teams will advance to the CONCACAF final round from which the top-three teams automatically qualify for World Cup 2014 in Brazil.