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.

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.

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.

But in the 30th minute, the Boyz gave a hint of their class with a seamless passing routine involving Yeovil Town’s Joel Grant, Houston Dynamo’s Barnes, with Derby County’s Simon Dawkins finishing off the move, rightly opting for the sublime touch, but his left-footed effort floated wide of a scrambling Placide.

Jamaican goalie Thompson got the sternest test of the match in minute 34 when Marcelin launched a long-range effort, but the Pittsburgh Riverhounds custodian rose majestically to tip over.

Haiti returned from the dressing room pretty much the same way they went there, having attacked the Jamaica goal with the big shots from way out, but luckily for Jamaica, most of the missiles sailed were off target.

Jamaica midfielder Jobi McAnuff, playing with smarts and industry throughout which betrayed his age, created a threatening situation for Jamaica in the 53rd minute when he intercepted a poor goal-kick by the Haiti custodian.

The quick-thinking McAnuff dispossessed his Haitian opponent at the edge of his goal area and fired a cheeky shot to goal which forced Placide to spill, but Barnes following through, could not deliver the coup de grace.

Kemar Lawrence of the New York Red Bulls had a chance to possibly double his team’s lead, but his 69th-minute free-kick from 20 yards, though well-intended and skillfully delivered, lacked the requisite power to beat the alert keeper.

Mariappa, patrolling down the right, held up the ball beautifully, and in his own time, released Barnes, who tried to squeeze the ball between the upright and the goalkeeper in one of the Boyz’ counter-attacking forays in the second half.

Teams: Jamaica — Ryan Thompson, Wes Morgan, Michael Hector, Kemar Lawrence, Adrian Mariappa, Rodolph Austin, Joel Grant (Lance Laing 54th), Jobi McAnuff, Garath McCleary, Simon Dawkins (Chris Humphrey 87th), Giles Barnes (Andre Clennon 90th).

Subs not used: Andre Blake, Dwayne Miller, Michael Seaton, Demar Phillips, Allan Ottey, Omar Holness, Sean McFarlene.

Booked: Mariappa (17th)

Coach: Winfried Schaefer

Haiti — Johny Placide, Jean Alcenat, Mechack Jerome, Kim Jaggy, Frantz Bertin, Wilde-Donald Guerrier (Pascal Millien 71st), Kevin Lafrance, James Marcelin, Jean-Marc Alexandre (Sony Norde 84th) Ducken Nazon (Pascal Millien 71st), Jean-Eudes Maurice.

Subs not used: Reginal Goreux, Kervens Belfort, Steward Ceus, Sebastien Thuriere, Andre Baptiste, Judelin Aveska, Bitielo Jean Jacques, Ronald Elusma, Junior Monuma.

Booked: None

Coach: Marc Collat

Referee: Cesar Ramos (Mexico)

Assistant Referees: Alberto Morin (Mexico), Octavio Jara (Costa Rica)

Fourth Official: John Pitti