USA Vs. Jamaica Live: USMNT Wins Gold Cup Final On Jordan Morris’ Late Goal

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Jul 27, 2017

Final, 2-1 United States: The referee blows the final whistle, and the United States wins the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

The USA wins for the first time since 2013, having topped Jamaica in a hard-fought final. Jozy Altidore gave USA the lead on the stroke of halftime with a stunning free kick, but Je-Vaughn Watson restored the parity just five minutes after the break. The game appeared headed toward extra time until Morris, a budding serial winner, flipped the script with a late goal.

Jamaica finishes runner-up for the second consecutive Gold Cup.

That’s all for now, and thanks for joining us. Let’s discuss this one on Twitter @NESNsoccer and Facebook. Be sure to keep an eye out for some news, fan reactions, analysis and opinion coming up on NESN.com/soccer.

90th minute +2, 2-1 United States: The referee shows Tim Howard a yellow card for time wasting.

90th minute, 2-1 United States: There will be three minutes of added time in the second half.

USA makes its final substitution. Dax McCarty enters. Darlington Nagbe exits.

89th minute, 2-1 United States: Jordan Morris scores the go-ahead game with just a few minutes remaining in normal time.

Gyasi Zardes hit a cross into the box. A defender head it into Morris’ path. The USA forward shot powerfully, and the ball deflected off Damion Lowe into Jamaica’s goal.

87th minute, 1-1: Kevon Lambert enters for Jamaica, replacing Ladale Richie.

86th minute, 1-1: Clint Dempsey’s free kick rolls to Jordan Morris deep inside Jamaica’s penalty area. Morris evades the goalkeeper, but the nearby defenders prevent him from shooting.

83rd minute, 1-1: USA is applying all the pressure in an effort to win the game in normal time.

If the teams are tied after 90 minutes, they’ll play two 15-minute halves of extra time. If they’re tied after that, a penalty-kick shootout will determine the winner.

76th minute, 1-1: The referee shows Graham Zusi a yellow card.

76th minute, 1-1: Gyasi Zardes replaces Paul Arriola in the United States’ second substitution.

75th minute, 1-1: Clint Dempsey heads Jorge Villafana’s cross on goal, but Dwayne Miller spectacularly saves it off the post to keep Jamaica on level terms.

74th minute, 1-1: Oniel Fisher’s cross reaches Alvas Powell, whose touch deflects off Graham Zusi in front of the USA goal and goes out for a corner kick. USA narrowly avoids conceding the go-ahead goal.

73rd minute, 1-1: Jordan Morris rifles a shot toward the top corner, but Dwayne Miller makes a fine save.

71st minute, 1-1: Omar Gonzalez heads Michael Bradley’s corner kick narrowly wide of Jamaica’s goal.

70th minute, 1-1: USA continues to create danger on the wings, as Paul Arriola nearly connects with Jorge Villafana’s cross. USA’s tempo and pressure increase, and Jamaica appears to be holding on for dear life.

63rd minute, 1-1: Dwayne Miller saves Paul Arriola’s header, as the United States’ counter-attack almost nets a goal.

63rd minute, 1-1: Romario Williams shoots from a tight angle, but the well-positioned Tim Howard saves his effort.

57th minute, 1-1: The referee shows Jamaica center back Ledale Richie a yellow card.

55th minute, 1-1: Clint Dempsey replaces Kellyn Acosta in the United States’ first substitution.

Dempsey is currently tied with Landon Donovan for first place among all-time USMNT goal scorers. He could make history against Jamaica when his country needs him most.

50th minute, 1-1: Jamaica ties the game with its first shot on goal. It comes on a corner kick, as Je-Vaugh Watson shrugs off Jordan Morris and volleys the set-piece past Tim Howard.

Watson has become a key player for the Reggae Boyz.

Watson plays club soccer for the New England Revolution, who seem torn over his goal.

Jamaica’s stoic coach knows his team still has plenty of work to do.

46th minute, 1-0 United States: The second half is underway.

Blake has left Levi’s Stadium for a local hospital where he will have X-rays on his injured hand, according to FOX Sports’ Jenny Taft.

Halftime, 1-0 United States: That’s the end of the first half. USA leads by one.

Join us on Facebook Live for our halftime analysis of the USA-Jamaica Gold Cup final.

45th minute, 1-0 United States: There will be four minutes of added time in the first half.

45th minute, 1-0 United States: Jozy Altidore scores a stunning free kick from 35 yards out, giving USA the lead just before halftime.

The fit USA players have a habit of scoring late.

Jamaica probably is tired of lining up against Altidore.

43rd minute, 0-0: Kemar Lawrence floats a free kick into Tim Howard’s hands. Lawrence scored the winning goal against Mexico in the semifinals.

38th minute, 0-0: Darren Mattocks dribbles into the USA penalty area, but Omar Gonzalez tackles the ball out for a corner kick before the Jamaica forward can shoot.

37th minute, 0-0: The referee shows USA midfielder Kellyn Acosta a yellow card for his foul on Ladale Richie.

36th minute, 0-0: The first half continues in the same manner in which it opens with USA controlling possession and territory and Jamaica looking to counter-attack on the flanks.

32nd minute, 0-0: The referee shows Jamaica’s Darren Mattocks a yellow card.

26th minute, 0-0: Miller confidently catches Michael Bradley’s lofted free kick. The Jamaica goalkeeper’s first action should reassure his teammates and their fans.

23rd minute, 0-0: A tearful Andre Blake exits with a heavily bandaged right hand, with Miller replacing him in Jamaica’s first substitution.

Sportsmanship is alive and well in the Gold Cup.

Andre Blake was perhaps Jamaica’s standout player in the Gold Cup, and his injury dents the Reggae Boyz’s hopes of winning.

22nd minute, 0-0: Dwayne Miller, Jamaica’s backup goalkeeper, is warming up and looks set to enter the game.

19th minute, 0-0: Jamaica goalkeeper Andre Blake makes a flying save on Jozy Altidore’s long-range effort. Kellyn Acosta arrives first at the rebound, but Blake makes another save.

Blake, Jamaica’s captain, appears to have injured his hand stopping Acosta’s point-blank shot.

17th minute, 0-0: Darlington Nagbe shoots well wide in USA’s first real scoring attempt.

15th minute, 0-0: The Levi’s Stadium turf is coming up in clumps in some places, the ball is rolling with a bounce, and many players are struggling with their footing.

https://twitter.com/JogaBonitoUSA/status/890393113591721985

The field conditions will reduce USA’s technical advantage over Jamaica and put a greater premium on the physical, tactical and mental aspects of the game.

Ninth minute, 0-0: It’s more of the same from the teams. USA must caution against dropping its tempo and overall level as a result of frustration.

Third minute, 0-0: As expected, USA dominates possession early on, but Jamaica’s deep-lying defense contains the hosts’ early forays.

Kickoff: The 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup final is under way.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is at Levi’s Stadium for the game.

FOX Sports spoke to him prior to kickoff.

Pregame: Bruce Arena is bucking his own trend with this USA lineup.

Entering his 14th game, this is the first time he has opted for the same starting 11 in consecutive games. USA is unbeaten in 13 games to start his second tenure, so he must know what he’s doing.

Five USA players — Michael Bradley, Jordan Morris, Darlington Nagbe, Jorge Villafaña and Graham Zusi — started Feb. 5 in USA’s 1-0 exhibition win over Jamaica.

New England Revolution midfielder Je-Vaughn Watson starts as Jamaica’s holding midfielder. He and his teammates are confident of their chances of earning an upset win and excited about the occasion.

The Reggae Boyz won’t be in awe. They reached the 2015 Gold Cup final where they fell to Mexico 3-1.

8:45 p.m.: Here are the starting lineups.

Here’s how the teams are expected to line up.

United States

Jamaica

8:30 p.m. ET: Will this be the United States men’s soccer team’s or Jamaica’s golden moment?

The teams will play for regional soccer supremacy Wednesday night at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., in the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup final.

The U.S. is vying for its sixth Gold Cup crown, and victory would clinch one of two objectives that would make 2017 a “perfect year” for the team (the other is qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup) in the eyes of head coach Bruce Arena.

Jamaica is playing in its second consecutive Gold Cup final, and the Reggae Boyz are keen to upset the odds and win its first-ever title.

The Gold Cup final is scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m. ET. Join us right here for all the action from Levi’s Stadium.

Thumbnail photo via Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports Images

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