Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Friday 28 July 2017
Morris’s 88th-minute goal gives U.S. Gold Cup title

By JANIE McCAULEY Miller’s outstretched right
AP Sports Writer hand into the upper corner
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — of the net just beneath the
As the victorious American crossbar, his 39th goal in
players bounced so hard 108 appearances.
the podium shook, medals Lawrence, who scored in
round their necks, a beam- a 1-0 semifinal win Sunday
ing Bruce Arena in the against Mexico, took an-
back raised his arms to the other corner kick in the 75th
air right along with them as minute moments after Al-
gold confetti began to fall. vas Powell’s shot from close
The U.S. resurgence is off range deflected off Gra-
to an impressive start since ham Zusi — a sequence
Arena returned late last that had Howard yelling at
year. Another CONCACAF his defense.
Gold Cup crown, and now U.S. captain Michael Brad-
on to more important busi- ley earned the Golden Ball
ness: qualifying for next at the tournament’s top
year’s World Cup. player.
Former Stanford star Jordan Using a lineup with about
Morris scored a tiebreaking half its regular starters —
goal in the 88th minute , the rest are in preseason
and the United States beat United States players celebrate after beating Jamaica 2-1 in the Gold Cup final soccer match in with European clubs — the
Jamaica 2-1 on Wednes- Santa Clara, Calif., Wednesday, July 26, 2017. U.S. reached its record 10th
day night for its sixth Gold Associated Press final.
Cup title and first since Zardes crossed. Jermaine Arena took a moment after and appeared to kick the The Reggae Boyz were a
2013. Taylor tried to clear with a the final whistle to congrat- keeper’s right hand before surprising final opponent
Jozy Altidore’s goal on a header and the ball was ulate Morris for the pretty Jamaica’s Damion Lowe after they stunned Mexico
28-yard free kick in the 45th knocked by Clint Dempsey shot but also for how he an- cleared. Blake’s hand was in a semifinal Sunday to
minute beat backup goal- with a leg back to Morris. swered from a mistake. wrapped but he couldn’t reach the title match for a
keeper Dwayne Miller after “I was nervous. It was my The U.S. extended its un- continue and was re- second straight time.
Jamaica captain Andre guy that scored on the beaten streak to 14 games placed by Miller four min- With 18 of 22 starters from
Blake left early with a hand goal, so I was trying to (9-0-5) under Arena, who utes later. As Blake left the Major League Soccer, this
injury. make up for it any way that became the first coach to field, he acknowledged was a rematch of the 2015
Je-Vaughn Watson tied the I could,” Morris said. “Obvi- win three Gold Cup titles. the cheering fans with a Gold Cup semifinal won 2-1
score when he got away ously. I take responsibility “Bruce brought in a new wave of his left hand, then by Jamaica at Atlanta. For
from Morris for a 4-yard vol- for that. But luckily I could energy,” goalkeeper Tim later emerged for the med- the first time since replac-
ley off Kemar Lawrence’s put one in the back of the Howard said. “He just gave al ceremony with his hand ing Jurgen Klinsmann in No-
50th-minute corner kick. net.” us a tremendous lift.” bandaged after receiving vember, Arena kept his line-
Morris, who left nearby It was the fifth international The Americans had a seven stitches that will be up unchanged. He inserted
Stanford in his junior year, goal for the 22-year-old chance to go ahead in in for 10 days. Nothing was the 34-year-old Dempsey in
has won the 2015 NCAA Morris, who tied 16-year-old the 19th minute when Al- broken. the 55th minute.
title, the 2016 MLS cham- Canadian Alphonso Davies tidore’s swerving 30-yard “It was a pretty bad cut, I Chunks of turf came loose
pionship with Seattle and for the tournament lead shot was parried by Blake, knew I wasn’t able to con- yet again at Levi’s Stadium,
now the 2017 Gold Cup. with three goals. who dived left and then tinue,” Blake said. “It hap- the $1.2 billion, 3-year-old
He got the breakthrough “That was like a dagger in beat Kellyn Acosta to the pens sometimes.” home of the NFL San Fran-
goal with a 14-yard right- the heart,” Jamaica coach rebound at the 6-yard box. Altidore put the U.S. ahead cisco 49ers. The field has
footed shot after Gyasi Theodore Whitmore said. Acosta collided with Blake with a curling shot past been an ongoing issue.q

Bob Bradley named first coach of MLS expansion club LAFC

By GREG BEACHAM hopes to make an imme- became the first Ameri-
AP Sports Writer diate MLS splash when it can coach to lead a Pre-
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bob enters the nation’s second- miership team last sea-
Bradley has been named largest market to compete son, although his tenure in
the first coach of the Los with the LA Galaxy, the five- charge of Swansea City
Angeles Football Club, the time MLS Cup champions. lasted just 11 games. Brad-
MLS expansion franchise LAFC will formally introduce ley coached the U.S. team
due to begin play next Bradley on Friday at the from 2006-11, winning a
year. Natural History Museum in CONCACAF Gold Cup title
Bradley is the former coach downtown Los Angeles, in 2007 before becoming
of the U.S. men’s national next door to the site of the the only coach in 80 years
team and the most accom- club’s under-construction to win a World Cup group
plished American coach in new stadium. and reach the knockout
international club soccer The 59-year-old Bradley rounds in South Africa in
history. He had long been has no players just yet on 2010. After leaving the U.S.
rumored to be a target of his new team, but he has In this Oct. 15, 2016, file photo, Swansea manager Bob Bradley team, Bradley eschewed
directs his players during an English Premier League soccer
the deep-pocketed LAFC a lengthy list of coach- match against Arsenal at The Emirates Stadium in London. MLS jobs and embarked on
ownership group, which ing accomplishments. He Associated Press an international career. q