Winfried Schafer Guiding Jamaica to Historic 1st Gold Cup Final

The 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup final will feature a surprise participant after Jamaica upset the United States in the semifinal round to book a first-ever appearance in the showpiece event. The Reggae Boyz will face Mexico on Sunday in Philadelphia, and they will hope to become just their second team—after Canada in 2000—to break the dominance of the U.S. and Mexico in the confederation's biggest international tournament.

If they do so, a good amount of credit will go to coach Winfried Schafer, who has made all the right moves while managing his side marvelously this summer.

It's been a long road for the 65-year-old German and his players, who began their summer of football in the Southern Hemisphere as one of the two non-CONMEBOL teams invited to the Copa America in Chile. Like Mexico, Jamaica departed the competition at the group stage, but unlike Mexico, Jamaica used the same players in both the Copa America and Gold Cup.

So despite losing all three games in Chile, Jamaica's players had time to mesh. In addition, Schafer had further opportunity to instill his style and principles into the squad, which remained together for the trip north to the U.S. for the Gold Cup.

David Goldman/Associated Press

Since taking over as coach midway through the Hex—the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying—in 2014, Schaefer has preached the value of organization and solid defensive work to his players. This summer at the Gold Cup, the work has paid off.

After conceding twice in the first half of their opening game against Costa Rica, Jamaica did not allow another goal until the second half of the semifinal against the U.S. During the three games in between, the Reggae Boyz kept clean sheets against Canada, El Salvador and Haiti, while producing just enough offensively to win each match by a single goal.

Writing at FoxSports.com, Kyle McCarthy noted:

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Schafer expects his team to remain compact from back to front and squeeze tightly to reduce the space in the channels. The defense (including three central defenders and the promising Kemar Lawrence at left back) and the midfield (marshaled well by captain Rodolph Austin) stay connected to eliminate the usual operating areas between the lines. The collective responsibility shared from back to front makes it particularly difficult on the opposition: Only one team—Costa Rica—has scored two goals on the Jamaicans in nine matches played this year.

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Matched against the U.S. in the semifinals, Jamaica and Schafer embraced their role as underdogs. "it feels like David against Goliath," Schafer quipped before the match, as reported by Caitlin Murray at the Guardian. Much like in the biblical story, Jamaica hit Goliath where it hurt, punishing the U.S. on two set pieces to take a 2-0 lead at halftime.

The Americans improved early in the second half, scoring a quick goal to cut their deficit in half, but Jamaica weathered the onslaught and eventually limited the U.S. to attacking via desperate long balls as fulltime approached. 

John Bazemore/Associated Press

“It’s quite a lot to take in, if I’m being honest,” forward Giles Barnes said, according to CONCACAF.com. “I’m on cloud nine. When I got back to the changing room, I had messages waiting for me from my mom and dad. That’s special. I know I’ll remember this night for a long, long time."

Of course, Barnes and Jamaica will be hoping for more. Up next is the final on Sunday against Mexico, another regional heavyweight that, like the U.S., hasn't played particularly well at the Gold Cup. With another solid performance, Jamaica will be confident of their chances.

And why not? Already under Schafer, the Reggae Boyz claimed the Caribbean Cup title in 2014. And Schaefer has experience winning a continental title, leading Cameroon to African Nations Cup glory in 2002.

Before the tournament, few outside Jamaica would have expected the Reggae Boyz to reach this point. But after impressing throughout the Gold Cup, Schafer and his players are just one more win away from an historic first title.

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