All arise, Jamaica! The Reggae Boyz have done you proud. Their first Gold Cup final beating the USA only for the second time in 16 attempts. Two moments of absolutely abysmal defending by the Stars and Stripes, once off a free throw which rooted four defenders to the spot except Darren Mattocks who headed the ball over a desperately backpedaling Brad Guzan. In one of the more bizarre moments of this sport, Guzan collecting the ball after a corner committed a foul holding the ball as his arm crossed the penalty area before throwing upfield. Referee Ricardo Montero whistled for a free kick as a incredulous Guzan gesticulated at the officiating crew.
This sort of foul is rarely seen at this level. Be as it may, Giles Barnes well struck set piece passed over the wall which for some strange reason decided to remain inert, beating Guzan to the near post. By that time the USA’s bright start was but a dim memory as Jamaica literally had the USA by the throat, sharper and swifter on the tackles, passing the ball with authority, keeping the pressure up right till the end of the first half.
The USA came back in the second half, as they zipped the ball around with more alacrity as Fabian Johnson and Alejandro Bedoya opened up the flanks, and Michael Bradley, a virtual non-entity in the first half, pressed upfield, finding Clint Dempsey and Aron Johannsson more frequently. It was Johannsson’s snapshot which Ryan Johnson spilled which Deuce got to and as the ball bounced off the prostrate goalie, Bradley was on hand to sweep it home. The comeback was on. Bradley and Bedoya pumping their fists as the crowd roared their approval.
Jamaica had to endure some more heart stopping moments as Bradley’s fizzing long range shot thumped off an Johnson’s unsuspecting chest and onto the upright. The suddenly nervous goalie also was unable to hold onto a bog standard Fabian Johnson free kick and was distinctly lucky Johannsson following up skied the ball over the upright.
The Reggae Boyz finally got a foothold in the second half slowing the game down stringing some vital possession time. The USA, continued pressing but this was when the Jamaican defence rose to the occasion. Once again Michael Hector was brilliant. The Reading centre back was omnipresent, winning the ball in the air, making run stopping tackles, breaking up attacks. This defense is criminally underrated but they are the reason why Jamaica can score just the one goal and still win. And so they did, stopping the USA time and time again as the clock ran out.
The USA were outsmarted by a more opportunistic Jamaican side who punished them with their few chances. Their organized defence showed it could be breached once but doing it twice was going to require a special moment. The long and short of it, the USA is not going to go to the 2017 Confederations Cup. This loss cannot be attributed to just over-confidence, the USA were really pushed around by a quicker, hungrier side, losing its composure, and made to look ordinary.