BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Jamaica's Reggae Boyz clip Haiti 1-0 to book date with defending champs USA. Jamaica 1 & Haiti 0 on course for the hunt for their first CONCACAF Gold Cup title.

by SEAN WILLIAMS Assistant Sport Editor  Sunday, July 19, 2015

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Jamaica's Reggae Boyz have set up a semi-final showdown with the USA after clipping Caribbean rivals Haiti 1-0 in a quarter-final match-up at the M&T Bank Stadium here last night.

Houston Dynamo's Giles Barnes got the priceless goal in the seventh minute to ensure the Boyz stayed on course for the hunt for their first CONCACAF Gold Cup title.

Giles Barnes (#9) of Jamaica celebrates after scoring a first-half
goal against Haiti during the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
quarter-final match at M&T Bank Stadium yesterday in
Baltimore, Maryland. (PHOTO: AFP)

The last time the Jamaicans played in this tournament in 2011, they were knocked out at the quarter-final stage 2-0 by nemesis USA, who propelled themselves to the semis after crushing Cuba 6-0 in the earlier quarter-final fixture, also at the M&T Bank Stadium.

The stage for that battle will be at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Wednesday.

In a contest where Jamaica had to be defensively compact, Haiti were the first to create on the Jamaican end with a quick give-and-go that put Jean Sony Alcenat through on goal. But under no pressure from the edge of the area, he skied the ball.

But at the other end, Jamaica showed Haiti how it's done.

In the seventh minute, Captain Rodolph Austin's visionary pass picked out Crystal Palace's Adrian Mariappa breaking free down the right side. The latter then quickly put the ball under control, crossed inside for Giles Barnes, who sped ahead of his marker to blast off the legs of goalkeeper Johny Placide to give the Boyz the lead.

Falling behind did not seem to shaken the resolve of the Haitians, as they immediately went about searching for the equalising goal.

In the 15th minute, they came close after scheming their way into the Jamaica 18-yard box, but James Marcelin's harmless poke to goalkeeper Ryan Thompson was a disappointing end to a promising move.

Players for Haiti and Jamaica go for the ball in the first half
during the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarter-final
match at M&T Bank Stadium yesterday in
Baltimore, Maryland. (PHOTO: AFP)

And the Haitians, Jamaica's Caribbean neighbours to the east, kept up the pressure, and in the 22nd minute, Wilde-Donald Guerrier, had a chance denied.

Three minutes later they were at it again, conspiring around the Jamaica danger area, and were unlucky not have equalised as Dukens Nazon's low shot zipped by Jamaican legs to hit the upright.

But Jamaica slowly came into their passing game and looked dangerous each time they brought the ball forward, but the finesse required to deliver the killer blow deserted them. more