World Cup Qualifiers: Shelton Strikes Winner as Jamaica Upset Team USA

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The U.S. Soccer team suffered shock loss to Jamaica 2-1 in a 2014 World Cup qualifying game in Kingston.

Clint Dempsey opened the scoring for the Americans in the opening minute, and was seemingly on their way to a comfortable victory. However, the match did not go according to plan as Rodolph Austin struck the equaliser in the 24th minute off a freekick. Then the U.S. team's woes were compounded when Luton Shelton struck the winner in the 62nd minute to give the Jamaicans their first ever victory against the U.S. in 19 games.

"Jamaica deserved that win," U.S. coach, Jurgen Klinsmann, said after the match. "They were hungrier and they were more determined, and that's how they came off the field as the winning team."

Klinsmann, however, refused to blame the defeat on the absence of key duo Landon Donovan and Bradley. "You can blame me, no problem," he said. "It wouldn't be the first time for that.

"The guys that stepped on the field are in charge of it. They are responsible to give everything they have. They're responsible for the outcome.

"I never complain about players that are not here, because there are reasons why they're not here. We take it the way it is. I think we have a good group here together that is able to beat Jamaica.

"We were just doing too many mistakes out there. Maybe we were leading too early in the game. But it is what it is."

"We got a good result in Mexico with some inexperienced guys and there was no reason we couldn't do that again tonight," U.S. and Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard added. "Michael of course is a key guy for us and Landon, as you know, makes things happen, but I don't think those are excuses, I really don't.

"I just think we lacked concentration in some areas and we weren't nearly as resilient as we probably should have been."

Meanwhile, Mexico got their campaign off to a strong start with a 2-0 victory over Costa Rica, thanks to goals from Carlos Salcido and Jesus Zavala.

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