Jamaica Strikers Sink USA with Contentious Winner to Reach Gold Cup Final (Video)

Revitalised Reggae Boyz rewrite Gold Cup history books

Jubilant Jamaica have made history by becoming the first ever Caribbean team to reach the Gold Cup final after controversially stunning the USA 2-1 in Atlanta on Wednesday.

Strikers Darren Mattocks and Giles Barnes found their scoring boots to bag first-half goals and denied the co-hosts from reaching their 10th Gold Cup final.

But the Reggae Boyz had to battle hard to stave off the second-half onslaught from the overwhelming favourites after conceding on 48 minutes when sloppy defending allowed Michael Bradley to slot home.

Now Mexico stand between Jamaica and the possibility of claiming a second tournament crown in nine months, which would look great in their trophy room having pulled off a shock victory in last year’s Caribbean Cup.

Although the Boyz wasted opportunities to kill off their opponents, it was the resilience of Jamaica’s stubborn rearguard that earned them the international respect that they deserve following this remarkable result – although shotstopper Ryan Thompson was a total bag of nerves after the interval.

The USA had merely expected the Boyz to just be a formality as they planned to reach their sixth successive Gold Cup final.

Yet a combination of the tactical guile of Jamaica’s head coach Winfried Schäfer, the ever-physical play and the winning goal notched following a contentious decision put paid to the defending champions.

With the majority of fans inside the Georgia Dome lifting the USA, whose group games were solid rather than spectacular, Jamaica had to be on their guard and take their game up a few gears against a classy side.

Before kick-off history was totally against the Boyz, who had failed to overcome the USA in their previous two Gold Cup quarter-finals. But this really was third time lucky for Jamaica.

Both goals should have seen keeper Brad Guzan do better. Mattocks’ looping header off Kemar Lawrence’s lengthy throw-in broke the deadlock on 31 minutes, and Giles Barnes’ thunderous free-kick five minutes later doubled the lead.

Mattocks, who plies his trade in the MLS for Vancouver Whitecaps, said: “I’m very upbeat and excited at the challenge ahead.

“Every time I play in North America it always feels like home because playing against so many guys who play in the same league means that I knew what they are capable of doing and their strengths and weaknesses.”

Yet Costa Rican referee Ricardo Montero had a hand in the shock success by penalising the USA with a controversial free-kick after judging that Guzan crossed the line of his box whilst throwing a ball from his own area.

At the other end there were no errors from shotstopper Thompson. On the stroke of half-time he blocked and smothered Dempsey’s drive from 12 yards then easily dealt with Bradley’s free-kick as the Boyz appeared to be in cruise control.

Nevertheless Jamaica had to be on their toes after skipper Bradley reduced the deficit early in the second half and then Thompson turned to jelly with a poor performance.

In a battle of two German coaches, Schäfer tackling compatriot Jurgen Klinsmann, it was always going to be a compelling clash and Jamaica should have secured victory through Barnes only to have to defend resolutely in the frantic final minutes to triumph.

The USA were buoyant from kick-off but didn’t trouble the back four. It was Jamaica who created the opening chance on 12 minutes, Garath McCleary cutting in from the right flank and breezing past Kyle Beckerman before finding Mattocks whose touch lacked conviction. And seconds later Je-Vaughn Watson should have done better than drag his long-range effort off target.

The US immediately responded to this pressure but keeper Thompson was equal to Clint Dempsey’s effort, and the hot-shot striker again tried in vain from distance only for his ambitious shot to sail over the target.

Gyasi Zardes was guilty of wasting his chance to make the breakthrough on 25 minutes after Bradley picked him out following an impressive run down the centre.

And it was a case of deju vu at the other end of the pitch with Barnes thundering McCleary’s pass over the crossbar when he really should have steered his shot on target.

The Boyz were fortunate to escape unscathed on the half-hour mark when Thompson fluffed Wes Morgan’s back pass by trying to dribble the ball clear, only for Aron Johannson to dispossess the shotstopper on the six-yard box but impatiently prod his shot narrowly of the gaping goal.

But Thompson made amends within 80 seconds, denying Fabian Johnson’s effort from the left flank and was delighted to see Bradley’s corner headed wide by Dempsey.

Against the run of play Jamaica salvaged their dreams of Gold Cup glory when Mattocks rose like a salmon amongst four defenders, including his marker John Brooks, to direct his looping header off both posts – the ball bouncing back off the upright along the goal-line then deflected into the net off the other post – past the helpless Guzan.

And five minutes later Barnes doubled the Boyz lead, brilliantly curling a set-piece over the wall and into the net after Guzan was ruled to have handled the ball outside his penalty area.

The USA came out for the second half all guns blazing and were back in the tie after Thompson spilled Aron Johannson’s effort from the edge of the box. Lively Dempsey tried his luck from the loose ball, only for the keeper to parry the ball towards Bradley to pounce and poke home.

Overworked Thompson was getting even more nervous between the sticks as the clash continued, failing to deal with Johannsson’s initial headed effort.

And the second choice keeper, only playing as no1 Dwayne Miller took a knock to the head in the group game against El Salvador, breathed a sign of relief when Bradley’s swerving and dipping 30-yard drive bounced off his chest and ricocheted onto the post. 

Thompson, who was continuously panicking under immense pressure in the tense second-half, then spilled the ball as far as Johannsson only for the forward to rifle the ball over the crossbar.

With the USA pushing forward and the Boyz ramming nine players back in the box, it needed a counter-attack to increase the lead and Barnes’ bad touch when one-on-one against Mix Diskerud left the side frustrated at missing a gilt-edged opportunity to secure success.

The USA’s best chance to sneak an equaliser was in the dying exchanges when Alejandro Beyoda’s splitting pass was scuffed inside the box by Zardes.

At the final whistle the Boyz and management team went crazy celebrating only their second success over the USA, their inaugural triumph three years ago at the National Stadium in Kingston, leaving the jam-packed stadium silenced by their achievement.

The USA had only themselves to blame for tasting a rare defeat to a Caribbean team, conceding poor goals and having pressed hard after the turnaround without finding their feet against a resolute defence.

Jamaica reaching their first Gold Cup final was never considered when they hammered 8-0 by France in a friendly last year, but Schäfer’s safety first tactics by resorting to a solid defence since then has paid dividends with a set of magnificent results.

Now that Schäfer’s strikers can dazzle in front of goal then there should be no stopping the Boyz, who can complete their magnificent Gold Cup run with an historic triumph on Sunday at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field where nine-time winners Mexico will be waiting.

USA goalscorer Bradley said: “I say this with total endearment, it’s a ridiculous tournament.”

But for the Boyz and their fans, they will take being crowned champions in any competition however “ridiculous” opponents view it.

JAMAICA: Thompson; Lawrence, Hector, Morgan, Mariappa; Austin, Watson, McAnuff, McCleary (Grant, 90); Mattocks (Dawkins, 57), Barnes (Humphrey, 85) Subs: Blake, Miller, McFarlane, Phillips, Laing, Holness, Seaton, Clennon, Ottey

USA: Guzan; Evans, Alvarado, Brooks, Johnson; Beckerman (Diskerud, 67), Zardes, Bedoya (Yedlin, 78), Bradley; Johannsson (Gordon, 73), Dempsey Subs: Yabrough, Rimando, Chandler, Ream, Gonzalez, Beasley, Corona, Zusi, Wondolowski

GOLD CUP KNOCKOUT FIXTURES

July 18: USA 6 Cuba 0

July 18: Jamaica 1 Haiti 0

July 19: Trinidad & Tobago 1 Panama 1 (Panama won 6-5 on pens)

July 19: Costa Rica 0 Mexico 1

July 22: Jamaica 2 USA 1

July 22: Mexico 2 Panama 1

July 25: 3rd/4th Play-off, Panama v USA (PPL Park, Chester, 4pm ko local time)

July 27: Final, Jamaica v Mexico (Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, 7.30pm ko local time)

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