Resilient underdogs Jamaica pushed them to the limit. But the US national team held their nerve and showed their quality to earn a last-gasp 2-1 win in the 2017 Gold Cup final at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California on Wednesday, paced by well-taken goals from Jozy Altidore and Jordan Morris.
Jamaica lost their talismanic goalkeeper, the Philadelphia Union's Andre Blake, to a hand injury early in the match, and things soon got even grimmer for the Reggae Boys as Altidore blasted a scintillating long-range free kick off the underside of the crossbar and past Blake's replacement Dwayne Miller.
But the islanders persevered, as they have throughout this tournament, and drew level against the odds when New England Revolution utility man Je-Vaughn Watson muscled past Morris on a corner kick and volleyed past Tim Howard at the far post.
The US turned the screws down the stretch, forcing Jamaica deeper and deeper before Morris struck a sweetly-hit finish into the top corner to claim the Yanks' sixth Gold Cup trophy.
Goals
- 45' – USA – Jozy Altidore Watch
- 50' – JAM – Je-Vaughn Watson Watch
- 88' – USA – Jordan Morris Watch
Next Up
- USA: Friday, Sept. 1 vs. Costa Rica (WCQ, 6:30 pm ET | ESPN and Univision networks)
- JAM: Saturday, Sept. 2 at Canada (Friendly, time/TV TBA)
