USMNT vs. Jamaica, 2015 Gold Cup: Final score 1-2, Americans suffer shock exit

The United States are out of the Gold Cup. The Americans suffered a shock defeat to Jamaica, 2-1, on Wednesday in the semifinals, scrapping what everyone assumed would be a U.S. vs. Mexico final.

This marks the Americans' earliest exit in the Gold Cup since 2003, when they lost in the semifinals to Brazil in extra time. Since then, they had played in five straight finals, but that streak is no more.

The U.S. had all of the ball in the first half. They knocked it through the middle part of the pitch with ease and advanced into the attacking third time and time again. But when they got near goal, they were often out of ideas and resorted to aimless crosses. Meanwhile, they left space behind them and Jamaica had more than enough space to counter into it. That forced the U.S. to be honest, but it wasn't the Reggae Boyz's pace that did them in.

Restarts killed the U.S. and Jamaica scored both of their goals from them. The first came on a throw-in, which the Reggae Boyz took long and found the head of Darren Mattocks. The Jamaican nodded the ball towards the far post, looping it high in the air. The ball clipped the post, then came all the way across the goal line, hitting the other post before going over the line.

If that wasn't a frustrating enough goal, Jamaica's second had to send the U.S. crazy. Brad Guzan collected a ball and threw it to a teammate, but he released the ball beyond the box for a handball. That gave Jamaica a free kick just outside the box and Giles Barnes hit an absolute belter on it. Guzan had no chance to save it and had to watch his mistake end up in the back of his own net.

The U.S. got back in the match three minutes after the break when the Jamaican goalkeeper couldn't handle Aron Johannsson's shot right at him. It was a bad rebound to concede and Clint Dempsey was right on it, keeping it free so Michael Bradley could follow and knock it home.

Once the U.S. scored, they found a rhythm and put Jamaica on the back foot. Johannsson drew a foul just outside the block minutes later, then he had a rebound right in front of goal that he nodded over the bar.Bradley hit a rocket of a shot that befuddled the goalkeeper and was saved onto the post. It looked like the U.S. were going to score.

The U.S. surge didn't last, though. While they were the better side for the entirety of the second half, things got a bit closer to even after the hour mark and the U.S. struggled to create clear cut chances. There were half-chances and crosses or passes that nearly earned them a great look at goal, but they never materialized.

Eventually, the referee blew for full time and the U.S. were left in shock. They had gone out of the Gold Cup and not in the final and not against Mexico. Their run ended in the semifinals, marking their earliest exit in 12 years and leaving Jurgen Klinsmann to wonder what went wrong with a Confederations Cup playoff looming in October, not to mention World Cup qualifying beginning a month later.