News Americas, WASHINGTON, D.C., Mon. June 20, 2011: A superb performance from Jamaica goalie Donovan Ricketts could not save his side from defeat at the hand of the U.S.A in Sunday’s quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Ricketts did his best to keep the U.S. from scoring at the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium but the home team managed to grab the advantage and end Jamaica’s unbeaten streak in the tourney.
The Americans dominated the match, imposing themselves on the Reggae Boyz early on. They never let up as the Jamaican squad were unable to find the holes to shoot could not pressure the U.S. goalie.
The Jamaicans were also forced to play the final 23 minutes a man down after Taylor was awarded a questionable red card by Mexican referee Marco Rodriguez after he took down an onrushing Jones from behind.
Midfielder Jermaine Jones scored his first international goal and Clint Dempsey added the insurance to boost the United States to a 2-0 victory.
“We knew [the game] wasn’t going to be easy,” Coach Theodore Whitmore said after the game. “In the first 25 minutes we didn’t get in our rhythm in terms of composure and ball position. It’s hard to play that game against a U.S. team that plays like that.”
The Americans will now play Panama in the semifinals in Houston on Wednesday.
Luis Tejada also on Sunday scored a 90th-mintute goal and then converted the clinching penalty in a shootout to lift Panama over El Salvador and send it to the Gold cup semifinals for the first time since 2005.
