ATLANTA: Jamaica's "Reggae Boyz" delivered defending champion United States a humbling 2-1 defeat Wednesday, becoming the first Caribbean squad to reach the Gold Cup final by shocking the heavily favored hosts.
After Jamaican defenders disrupted US attacks for the first half hour, Darren Mattocks nodded home the first goal in the 31st minute and and Giles Barnes scored on a free kick in the 36th to put Jamaica ahead 2-0 and signal an epic upset was in the making at the sold-out Georgia Dome.
US captain Michael Bradley answered in the 48th minute but the Americans never managed an equalizer against the stubborn Caribbean backline and lost to a Jamaican side that was 1-13 with eight drawn in their prior matches.
"We made history by getting into the final. It shows what this team is capable of," Barnes said.
"We've shocked a few people along the way but we've not shocked ourselves. We don't fear anybody. We put out a great team."
On Sunday in Philadelphia, Jamaica will play for the crown against six-time champion Mexico, which edged Panama 2-1 in the other semi-final of the biennial North American regional football championship.
"We cannot have a party now. We still have one more match," Jamaican coach Winfried Schaefer said. "Bob Marley comes after the match."
In Jamaica, the late reggae legend's music might be playing all day and night until the match.
"Just incredible. The feeling right now is just insane," Barnes said. "The phone hasn't stopped. Back in Jamaica there's got to be a party on. It will be even bigger when we lift the Cup on Sunday."
The five-time champion Americans had won their past five Gold Cup semi-finals but were undone by a Jamaican side that matched its best runs in 1993 and 1998 just to make the last four. It was the first Caribbean semi-finalist since Guadeloupe in 2007.
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