The U.S. MNT is a perfect 3-0-0 against Wednesday’s semifinal opponents Jamaica in CONCACAF Gold Cup play. While they’re undefeated, the games haven’t always been the easiest. Here’s a look back at the three matches.
1993 - Eric Wynalda’s goal guides U.S. past Jamaica in Gold Cup opener
In the 24th minute, the U.S. team nearly took the lead when Roy Wegerle ran onto a long ball out of the back and got past goalkeeper Warren Barrett before seeing his shot cleared off the line by Reggae Boyz midfielder Anthony Corbett.
Jamaica had a close call of their own in the 40th minute. A quick one-two combination put Winston Anglin in alone on goal, where he beat the onrushing Tony Meola, but saw his effort come off the right post, before Walter Boyd fired the rebound wide of the goal.
The U.S. would take the lead in the when a punt from Meola was flicked on by Wegerle for Eric Wynalda, who chipped over Barrett in the 67th minute.
Three minutes later Thomas Dooley rattled his header off the post, but the U.S. was able to hang on for a 1-0 victory at The Cotton Bowl.
1- Tony Meola; 15-Desmond Armstrong, 4-Cle Kooiman, 5-Thomas Dooley, 21-Fernando Clavijo; 13-Cobi Jones, 6-John Harkes (22-Alexi Lalas, 71), 9-Tab Ramos, 19-Chris Henderson; 11-Eric Wynalda (8-Dominic Kinnear, 84), 17-Roy Wegerle
2005 – DaMarcus Beasley runs wild in 3-1 quarterfinal victory
Twelve years after their first Gold Cup meeting, the U.S. was matched against the Reggae Boyz in the 2005 quarterfinals at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
Already playing in his third CONCACAF Gold Cup, DaMarcus Beasley got things started early, when his shot from the top of the area redirected off of Chicago Fire teammate Josh Wolff and past goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts in the sixth minute.
Almost instantly, Jamaica won a penalty kick, but Andy Williams saw it saved by Kasey Keller in the eighth minute.
Beasley would double the lead in the 42nd minute as Landon Donovan slipped him free into the box, allowing an easy finish past Ricketts.
The U.S. found its third goal when another Fire teammate, Chris Armas broke through the Jamaica back line and centered for Beasley whose first effort was saved, but slammed home the rebound in the 83rd minute.
Ricardo Fuller pulled one back for Jamaica in the 88th minute and Donovan missed a stoppage time penalty, but the result had been long assured with Beasley’s brace.
U.S. Lineup:
18-Kasey Keller; 6-Steve Cherundolo (15-Ben Olsen, 25’), 4-Oguchi Onyewu, 12-Jimmy Conrad, 3-Greg Vanney; 19-Steve Ralston (9-Santino Quaranta, ,84’), 25-Pablo Mastroeni, 5-John O’Brien, 10-Landon Donovan; 7-DaMarcus Beasley, 16-Josh Wolff (14-Chris Armas, 80’)
2011 – U.S. peppers Jamaican goal in 2-0 quarterfinal victory
The U.S. pelted the Jamaican goal in the first half as ‘keeper Donovan Ricketts made five saves, including two on Clint Dempsey and one each on Juan Agudelo and Sacha Kljestan.
The deadlock didn’t last long after the break though when Jones’ shot from outside the area redirected off a Jamaican defender and wrong footed Ricketts, giving the U.S. a 1-0 lead in the 49th minute.
As Jamaica began to press forward for an equalizer, the U.S. found space to catch them out and the second goal would finally come in the 79th minute when a combination between Landon Dononvan and Juan Agudelo found Dempsey alone in the area. The attacker rounded Ricketts and buried into an empty net to give the U.S. a 2-0 win.
U.S. Lineup:
1-Tim Howard; 3-Carlos Bocanegra, 21-Clarence Goodson, 14-Eric Lichaj, 6-Steve Cherundolo; 8-Clint Dempsey, 13-Jermaine Jones, (7-Maurice Edu, 75’), 4-Michael Bradley, 16-Sacha Kljestan, 22-Alejandro Bedoya, (10-Landon Donovan, 65’), 17-Jozy Altidore, (9-Juan Agudelo, 12’)