How incredible is this? Jamaica and the United States’ men’s national team will meet in the middle of Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, California for the epic conclusion of the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup. This final, a rematch from the 2015 Gold Cup semis, will be a wild end to a shocking and surprising soccer tournament. The winner of this match goes home a champion. Will the United States claim their sixth Gold Cup, or will the Reggae Boyz win it for the first time? Anything can happen, so sports fans better not miss this match.
Seriously, the fact that Jamaica stands here is proof that anything is possible in soccer. The Reggae Boyz secured their spot in the final after upsetting Mexico at the 88th minute of the game. Kemar Lawrence, 24, nailed a devastating free kick, putting Jamaica up 1-0 over El Tri. Andre Blake, 26, was able to shut down the Mexican offense, as the goalkeeper kept the heavy favorites from finding the back of the net. The combination of this free kick and the stellar defense has put Jamaica in its second consecutive Gold Cup final.
“I think our guys were hungry,” Theodore Whitmore, 44, Jamaica’s coach, said after the match, according to The Guardian. “They needed it more than the Mexicans, and we did what we had to do. The best way I could put it is the Biblical story. David slew Goliath.” Well, they have plenty of slaying left to go. They go up against the United States, who just got done putting away Costa Rica in a 2-0 victory. Clint Dempsey, 34, equaled the United States all-time goal scoring record, netting the second pint at the 82nd minute. Jozy Altidore, 27, opened up the scoring at minute 72. If Clint find the back of the net during this game, he’ll surpass Landon Donovan, 35, for the record and, very likely, help the USA raise the gold cup.
Raise your own glass and toast this game when it kicks off at 9:30 PM ET. Fans can watch the Gold Cup final via Fox Sports (after entering their cable provider’s information.) CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE USA VS. JAMAICA GOLD CUP FINAL LIVE STREAM
Who do you want to win this match, HollywoodLifers? Do you think Jamaica’s underdog luck leads them to a win? Or will the United States win their sixth Gold Cup?