(Jamaica Gleaner) ATLANTA, Georgia: The Georgia Dome gave the Reggae Boyz a standing ovation.
It was a fitting tribute to Jamaica, which scored a historic victory over the United States while booting away a number of firsts on Wednesday in Atlanta, beating the Americans for the first time on their home soil, 2-1 in the semi-final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup football tournament.
“David won against Goliath,” said Jamaica’s head coach, Winfried Schaefer, who had described the match as such.
“I’m very proud of my players. Two strikers made the goals for Jamaica, I am very, very happy about this,” he added.
“We’re not finished, we’ve one more match. We cannot make a party now, we can play Bob Marley later.”
Now Jamaicans are headed to the Gold Cup final for the first time, being the first Caribbean team to make that landmark.
Strikers Darren Mattocks (31st) and Giles Barnes (36th) scored goals five minutes apart for Jamaica, while Michael Bradley scored for the United States at the 48th minute.
“We’ve made history by getting into the final,” noted Barnes of Jamaica, which had twice made it to the Gold Cup semi-finals – in 1993 when they placed joint third, and 1998. “We’re looking forward to the final now; hopefully we can win it,” he added.
Mattocks scored with a header that hit the far post on its way in, off a long throw-in from Kemar Lawrence at the 31st minute, while Barnes scored with a brilliant curling free-kick the 36th, after US goalie Brad Guzan was adjudged to have handled the ball by stepping out of the penalty box as he attempted to kick the ball upfield.
“To see it going in was sensational,” Barnes said of his goal.
Bradley scored after goalkeeper Ryan Thompson spilled a shot from Aron Johanssen.
It was one of several spills by Thompson, who otherwise made some brilliant saves against the Americans, who outshot his team with 18 kicks on target, as opposed to Jamaica’s four.
