Jamaica Advances To Gold Cup Final
The U.S. Men’s National Team was eliminated from the 2015 Gold Cup Wednesday night after a 2-1 Semifinal loss to Jamaica at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
Trailing 2-0 at the start of the second half of the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the U.S. Men’s National Team came out quickly on the attack. Michael Bradley scored his second goal of the tournament to cut the Jamaican lead in half. Chances continued to come for the MNT, but none found the net, and when the final whistle blew, it signaled the USA’s first loss to Jamaica, ranked 76th in the world.
Jamaica led at the break after two quick goals from set pieces late in the first half. Darren Mattocks headed home a long throw in the 31st minute and Giles Barnes doubled the lead five minutes later with a free kick from just outside of the box.
The USA will play either Panama or Mexico in the third-place game on Saturday, July 26 at PPL Park in Chester, Pennsylvania. The broadcast information on the semifinal is still to be determined.
The MNT will also face the winner of the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup later this year for a spot in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. The one-game playoff pits the winner of the 2013 and 2015 Gold Cups against one another for a spot at the tournament in Russia the year before the World Cup. The USA last featured at the Confederations Cup in 2009 when the team beat then No. 1-ranked Spain and advanced to the Final against Brazil.
Goal Scoring Rundown:
JAM – Darren Mattocks (Kemar Lawrence) 31st minute: A long throw in from Kemar Lawrence found Mattocks in the center of the box, where he rose highest and flicked a header to the back post. The ball floated over diving U.S. ‘keeper Brad Guzan and bounced in off the post. USA 0, JAM 1
JAM – Giles Barnes 36th minute: Brad Guzan was whistled for a handball after he was deemed to have advanced out of the penalty area. Jamaica was awarded a free kick on the right side of the box and Barnes stepped up to take the kick, curling it over the wall and in at the near post to put Jamaica up by a pair. USA 0, JAM 2
USA – Michael Bradley 48th minute: Just after the restart, the ball was played into Aron Johannsson at the top of the box. He took a turn and fired at Jamaica’s goalkeeper Ryan Thompson, who batted it down in front of him. Dempsey followed and got a shot away before Michael Bradley followed up for the third time to tap it home from eight yards.USA 1, JAM 2 (FINAL)
Key Saves and Defensive Stops:
JAM – Ryan Thompson (save) 30th minute: Fabian Johnson barreled down the left side on the attack and made a sharp cut in to his right, crossing his defender and freeing himself for a shot. Johnson placed a shot toward the far post, but Thompson dove to his left to deflect it away.
JAM – Ryan Thompson (save) 44th minute: Alejandro Bedoya threaded a pass to Clint Dempsey in the box, who shielded a man away and ripped a shot with his left foot. Thompson came out and smothered the shot.
JAM – Ryan Thompson (save) 57th minute: USA captain Bradley turned on the edge of the area and blasted a vicious swerving drive toward goal. Thompson was momentarily fooled but managed to get his body behind the shot, deflecting it off his chest and off the post to preserve the lead.
JAM – Ryan Thompson (save) 71st minute: Brad Evans sent a long throw in into the box, which John Brooks Reached with a header. Brooks’ header went on frame, but Thompson dove to stop it.
Coming up Next: Gold Cup Third-Place Game
Location: PPL Park – Chester, PA
Opponent: TBD
Broadcast information: TBD
Social: Twitter (@ussoccer; @ussoccer_esp); Facebook; Instagram
Milestone Watch:
- With his goal U.S. captain Michael Bradley became the fourth player with 15 goals & 15 assists for the #USMNT (Landon Donovan, Cobi Jones, Eric Wynalda)
- With tonight’s start, Bradley ties goalkeeper Tim Howard for 11th on the all-time MNT cap list with 104 appearances.
- Midfielder Kyle Beckerman made his 50th all-time appearance for the USA in tonight’s match.
Additional Notes:
- U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann made two changes to his lineup from the Cuba Quarterfinal match: John Brooks returned to central defense after serving a one-game suspension, while Brad Evans stepped in at right back.
- Michael Bradley and Brad Guzan continued as the lone U.S. players to start all five matches of the tournament.
- The start was the first for Evans since the second Gold Cup group match, a 1-0 victory against Haiti on July 10 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
- The MNT is now 13-2-8 all-time against Jamaica and is 10-1-3 against the Reggae Boyz at home. The U.S. record against Jamaica in the Gold Cup falls to 3-1-0.
- The MNT is 2-1-0 all-time in Atlanta.
- The loss was the first for the MNT under Jurgen Klinsmann in the Gold Cup.
U.S. Men’s National Team Match Report
Match: U.S. Men’s National Team vs. Jamaica
Date: July 22, 2015
Competition: 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup; Semifinals
Venue: Georgia Dome; Atlanta, Georgia
Kickoff: 6 p.m. ET
Scoring Summary:
JAM – Darren Mattocks (Kemar Lawrence) 31st minute
JAM – Giles Barnes 36
USA – Michael Bradley 48
Lineups:
USA: 1-Brad Guzan; 16-Brad Evans, 6-John Brooks, 13-Ventura Alvarado, 23-Fabian Johnson; 5-Kyle Beckerman (10-Mix Diskerud, 67) , 4-Michael Bradley (capt.), 20-Gyasi Zardes, 8-Clint Dempsey, 11-Alejandro Bedoya (2-DeAndre Yedlin, 78); 9-Aron Johannsson (26-Alan Gordon, 73)
Subs Not Used : 12-Nick Rimando, 22-William Yarbrough; 3-Omar Gonzalez, 15-Tim Ream, 18-Chris Wondolowski, 19-Graham Zusi, 21-Timmy Chandler, 24-Joe Corona, 25-DaMarcus Beasley
Head Coach: Jurgen Klinsmann
JAM: 23-Ryan Thompson; 19-Adrian Mariappa, 4-Wes Morgan, 3-Michael Hector, 20-Kemar Lawrence; 22-Garath McCleary, 17-Rodolph Austin (capt.), 10-Jobi McAnuff, 15-Je Vaughn Watson; 9-Giles Barnes (2-Christopher Humphrey, 85), 11-Darren Mattocks (18-Simon Dawkins, 57)
Sub Not Used: 1-Andre Blake, 6-Lance Laing, 7-Andre Clennon, 8-Michael Seaton, 13-Dwayne Miller, 14-Allan Ottey, 16-Joel Grant, 24-Omar Holness, 25-Sean McFarlane
Head coach: Winfried Schäfer
Stats Summary: USA / JAM
Shots: 21 / 10
Shots on Goal: 10 / 3
Saves: 1 / 9
Corner Kicks: 11 / 8
Fouls: 13 / 10
Offside: 1 / 4
Misconduct Summary:
USA – Kyle Beckerman (caution) 31st minute
JAM – Garath McCleary (caution) 45+1
USA – DeAndre Yedlin (caution) 88
Main Image Photo Credit: AP / John Bazemore
