Skipper Jennings is a major doubt
Bermuda national football team captain Kentoine Jennings is highly doubtful to play any part in Bermuda?s final Digicel Cup Group G second-round qualifying match against host country Barbados tonight.
Jennings ?popped? his right calf muscle during a team practice session on Monday night and had to sit out Bermuda?s convincing win over Bahamas the next day.
The veteran sweeper missed Sunday?s opener against St. Vincent & the Grenadines through suspension after being sent off in the competition?s first round against US Virgin Islands.
Jennings is currently undergoing therapy and is scheduled to undergo a late fitness test later today.
Bermuda lock horns with Barbados in a match that will ultimately decide at least one of the two automatic spots for January?s Digicel Cup Finals in Trinidad and Tobago.
?I feel a little better, but we?ll just have to wait and see. It?s still stiff and sore and if I?m not going to be 100 percent fit, then I doubt if anything that I will start the game,? Jennings told .
?But we?ll just have to take things minute-by-minute and see how they are tomorrow (today). I?m just doing therapy and resting a bit and I feel much better walking.?
Jennings injured himself during a light practice session near the team?s hotel in St. Lawrence Gap.
?When we trained at the stadium (last Saturday) my leg had a knot in it, and so the therapist (Daniel Morgan) tried to work it out. Then, when we trained before the game the other night I overran and something just popped,? the veteran explained.
That aside, Jennings applauded his defence that performed admirably against Bahamas on Tuesday. ?They minimised mistakes and whatever mistakes were made they were able to recover,? he observed. ?They also played as a unit and I think the blend of youth and experience that we had in defence proved very worthy, especially by bringing Blenn (Bean) in. He brought something extra to the defence and overall it was good to see that we could minimise our mistakes and then take our chances.
?And once you can achieve this you will always have a chance to win the game. And this will also be the goal in the next game ? minimise mistakes at the back.? Jennings anticipates a ?technically -strong? Barbados will adapt a more physical approach for tonight?s key clash.
?They have some good players we will have to watch, but that?s with every team,? the North Village stalwart said. ?Every team has good players you have to watch and be careful of.
?It?s going to take an overall effort for us to be successful, and that?s everyone from the starters to the guys on the bench. If we can play our game, minimise our mistakes and take our chances I think we should be alright.
?We?re going to get chances, but it?s a matter now of what will we do with them. But it?s going to be a task and we know we have to win ? and we want to win.
?We just need to concentrate on doing what we need to do as far as winning the game.?