VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC confirmed today that striker Darren Mattocks has been called up to the Jamaican national team for the third round of 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ qualifying versus Nicaragua in September.
The Reggae Boyz, fresh off a second-place finish at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup in July, host the opening leg of the home-and-away series at the National Stadium in Independence Park in Kingston, Jamaica on September 4. The second leg will be played four days later in Estadio Nacional in Managua, Nicaragua.
- SCHEDULE: 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
The winners advance to the fourth round where they are grouped with Costa Rica, Panama, and the winner between the third round series between Grenada and Haiti.
Mattocks looks to pick up where he left off in the Gold Cup, where he scored in both the historic 2-1 semifinal win versus the United States and in the 3-1 final loss to Mexico, increasing his scoring total in senior international play to 10 goals in 30 appearances.
The speedy 24-year old striker is the career scoring leader among active Whitecaps FC players with 19 goals in 90 appearances. He has scored three goals in MLS play this season, including the April 18 match-winner at Real Salt Lake. Mattocks, a former MLS SuperDraft pick, most recently found the net in the 2-2 draw at Montreal Impact in the first leg of the Amway Canadian Championship on August 12.
Mattocks will join Jamaica following the Whitecaps FC match at Houston Dynamo on August 29 and will be back in Vancouver on September 9, when the 'Caps host Colorado Rapids at BC Place.
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