Sports

Jamaica Stuns US 2-1 in Gold Cup Semifinals

Published

11 years ago

July 23, 2015

Jamaica’s Darren Mattocks, center, is embraced by teammate Michael Hector, right, after Mattocks scored a goal during the first half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer semifinal against the United States on Wednesday, July 22, 2015, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

PAUL NEWBERRY, AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) — The United States had everything on its side. History. A raucous home crowd. And, supposedly, the better team.

None of it prevented Jamaica from handing the Americans their biggest upset defeat.

The Reggae Boyz stunned the U.S. with a pair of first-half goals, one off a blunder by goalkeeper Brad Guzan, and held on for a 2-1 victory in the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals Wednesday night.

Instead of heading on to an expected berth in Sunday’s title game at Philadelphia, the Americans will play a day earlier for third place following their first home loss to a Caribbean nation since a 1969 defeat to Haiti.

“Obviously the team is disappointed. The fans are disappointed,” U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. “We wanted to play in the big final Sunday.”

Darren Mattocks, who plays for the Vancouver Whitecaps in Major League Soccer, put Jamaica ahead with a 31st-minute header directly off a throw-in. Houston Dynamo’s Giles Barnes followed five minutes later with a goal on an 18-yard free kick after Guzan was caught outside the penalty area on a routine throw.

Other than those two set plays, the Americans largely dominated. They finished with a 10-3 edge in shots on goal — including eight in the second half, as they furiously charged at Jamaican goalkeeper Ryan Thompson, who plays for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the third-tier United Soccer League.

Thompson was up to the task, turning aside every shot but Michael Bradley’s goal in the 48th minute.

“My phone hasn’t stopped, as you can imagine,” said Barnes, savoring one of his country’s greatest victories. “Back in Jamaica, there’s got to be a party going on. Everybody knows how we are.”

At the final whistle, the Jamaicans charged onto the field, hugging and waving their flag while a small contingent of fans, clad in green and gold, saluted their underdog team. This was a glorious moment for an island nation of about 2.9 million people, one that had nothing to do with Olympic champion Usain Bolt. A team ranked 76th in the world became the first Caribbean nation to reach a Gold Cup final and will face Mexico, 2-1 winner over Panama in the wild second semifinal.

The Jamaicans want more, said their German coach, Winfried Schaefer.

“We have one more match to play,” he said. “Bob Marley is for after the match.”

The 34th-ranked Americans, who had played in five straight Gold Cup finals and were the defending champion, will face the loser of Wednesday’s second semifinal in the third-place game. They also must meet the Gold Cup winner in a playoff for the North and Central American and Caribbean berth in the 2017 Confederations Cup.

It marked the first time the U.S. was eliminated by a CONCACAF team en route to the Gold Cup final. In the era when teams outside the region were invited guests, the Americans lost semifinals to Brazil in 1996 and 2003, and a quarterfinal to Colombia in 2000.

In the early going, it looked as though the Americans might romp to another impressive win after a 6-0 blowout of Cuba in the quarterfinals. In their first game in Atlanta in 38 years, they had most of the chances but kept sending good looks wide or over the net.

Suddenly, Jamaica jumped ahead. Kemar Lawrence got everything on a long throw-in, delivering it perfectly into the penalty area. Mattocks, with his back to the goal and sandwiched between defenders Ventura Alvarado and John Brooks, leaped up for a dazzling header that caught the underside of the crossbar, out of a leaping Guzan’s reach, and dropped beyond the goal line. Guzan had taken a step off his line and scrambled back for the ball, but it was too late. He slammed it in disgust as the Jamaicans celebrated.

The U.S. goalkeeper was really steaming minutes later, when his huge mistake set up Jamaica for a commanding lead.

On a routine throw downfield from the edge of the penalty area, Guzan’s right arm went over the line when he let go of the ball. That gave the Jamaica a dangerous free kick and Barnes hooked a shot over the defensive wall and into the right side of net, while Guzan was covering the opposite side.

After the goal, Guzan screamed at the linesman who made the call, but the replay showed it was the proper one.

“He made the decision 2 or 3 yards behind me,” Guzan said. “Those decisions, they sometimes don’t go in your favor. But you’ve still got the free kick. You’ve got to defend it. He hit it well.”

Bradley added, “It’s a call you don’t see very often. It’s a call I wouldn’t be making if I was a referee. But I’m not a referee.”

The Americans fought back. Early in the second, Aron Johannsson ripped a shot that was smothered by Thompson, but he couldn’t hang on to the ball. Dempsey tried unsuccessfully to poke it under the sprawled-out keeper, and Bradley swooped in on the third whack for the goal that sent the sell-out Georgia Dome crowd of some 68,000 into a frenzy.

Bradley nearly evened it in the 57th, when his shot one-hopped off Thompson’s chest, caught the near post and deflected away.

The Americans had a few more good chances the rest of the way, but none that came close.

Now, they’ve got to deal with a shocking loss.

“We had enough chances to put three or four or five in there,” Klinsmann said. “We didn’t do it. That’s why we lost.”

___

Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

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Seth Curry Makes Impressive Debut with the Golden State Warriors

Seth looked comfortable in his new uniform, seamlessly fitting into the Warriors’ offensive and defensive system. He finished the night with an impressive 14 points, becoming one of the team’s top scorers for the game. Seth’s points came in a variety of ways – floaters, spot-up three-pointers, mid-range jumpers, and a handful of aggressive drives that kept the Oklahoma City Thunder defense on its heels.

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Seth Curry is a point guard on the GSW team.Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

By Y’Anad Burrell

Tuesday night was anything but ordinary for fans in San Francisco as Seth Curry made his highly anticipated debut as a new member of the Golden State Warriors. Seth didn’t disappoint, delivering a performance that not only showcased his scoring ability but also demonstrated his added value to the team.

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One of the most memorable moments of the evening came before Seth even scored his first points. As he checked into the game, the Chase Center erupted into applause, with fans rising to their feet to give the newest Warrior a standing ovation.

The crowd’s reaction was a testament not only to Seth’s reputation as a sharpshooter but also to the excitement he brings to the Warriors. It was clear that fans quickly embraced Seth as one of their own, eager to see what he could bring to the team’s championship aspirations.

Warriors’ superstar Steph Curry – Seth’s brother – did not play due to an injury. One could only imagine what it would be like if the Curry brothers were on the court together. Magic in the making.

Seth’s debut proved to be a turning point for the Warriors. Not only did he contribute on the scoreboard, but he also brought a sense of confidence and composure to the floor.

While their loss last night, OKC 124 – GSW 112, Seth’s impact was a game-changer and there’s more yet to come. Beyond statistics, it was clear that Seth’s presence elevated the team’s performance, giving the Warriors a new force as they look to make a deep playoff run.

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WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries Kick Off Season with Community Programs in Oakland

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The Valkyries came to Oakland City Hall with a “Hoopbus.” Present were (from left to right): City Councilmembers Noel Gallo, Rebecca Kaplan, Zac Unger and Rowena Brown; Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee, Valkyries President Jess Smith, a Valkyries team representative and Deputy Mayor LaNiece Jones. Photo courtesy Rebecca Kaplan’s office.

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The Golden State Valkyries brought the excitement of their inaugural season to every corner of the Bay Area with a full slate of community celebrations leading up to their historic home-opener against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Friday.

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McClymonds High Names School Gym for Star Graduate, Basketball Legend Bill Russell

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Bill Russell and Brian McGhee in McClymonds High School Gym, 2011. Photo courtesy of Brian McGhee.

By Ken Epstein

West Oakland’s McClymonds High School, “the School of Champions,” this week named the school’s gymnasium in honor of one of its most famous graduates, basketball legend Bill Russell (class of ’52).

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Patterson was working at DeFremery Park when he met Russell. “I befriended him as a boy and during his years at University of San Francisco” said Patterson. “We stayed friends for the rest of his life.”

Said McClymonds Principal Darielle Davis, herself a McClymonds graduate, “We are excited to honor Bill Russell for his sports accolades and because he broke color barriers. He is part of our legacy, and legacy is really important at McClymonds.”

Brian McGhee, community schools manager at McClymonds and former football player at UC Berkeley, said that Russell meant a lot to him and others at the school. “He was a beacon of light and hope for West Oakland,” he said. “He did a lot for sports and for civil rights.”

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