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          U.S. loss should serve as warning sign

          Despite being heavy Gold Cup favorites entering the knockout stage, the USMNT failed to reach the finals. Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images
          • Adrian Melville, ESPN Insider
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            • Joined ESPN in 2013 as a soccer Insider
            • Worked previously at NBC, Major League Soccer and Opta (UK)
            • Played college soccer at Princeton and professionally for the New England Revolution and Santo Andre, a second-division club in Brazil
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          Jul 23, 2015, 04:45 PM ET

          Less than two months removed from a pair of impressive friendly wins over Germany and the Netherlands, the United States took a step backward on Wednesday night with a 2-1 loss to heavy underdog Jamaica in the Gold Cup semifinals -- the worst loss of manager Jurgen Klinsmann's four-year tenure. The mission of winning the tournament was clearly stated, and while the U.S. outshot and outplayed Jamaica for much of the match, the team failed to accomplish its ultimate goal.