Overview:
On June 15, Haiti misplaced to Saudi Arabia 1-0 in its Gold Cup opener, showcasing one other pair of subpar performances from star attackers Frantzdy Pierrot and Duckens Nazon. The poor play from the 2 veterans towards above-average opponents highlights the necessity for a brand new technology of strikers.
CAP-HAÏTIEN — Haiti fell 1‑0 to Saudi Arabia in its 2025 Gold Cup opener Sunday evening, June 15, at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, marking one other disappointing efficiency in a excessive‑stakes match. On the middle of the defeat had been veteran forwards Duckens Nazon and Frantzdy Pierrot, whose struggles as soon as once more highlighted Haiti’s failure to develop dependable younger strikers.
Nazon, 31, and Pierrot, 30, are Haiti’s first and third all‑time main scorers, respectively. Though nonetheless able to find the online — each scored towards weaker groups like Aruba on June 7 — their performances towards higher-level opponents proceed to say no. Sunday evening was no exception.
Within the opening 13 minutes, Nazon missed two golden possibilities, together with a large effort from shut vary and a weak shot with the goalkeeper off his line. Pierrot adopted swimsuit, misfiring twice in a single‑on‑one conditions. Their failure to transform allowed Saudi Arabia to manage the match, which was determined by Saleh Al‑Shehri’s penalty within the twenty first minute.
Off the ball, each lacked mobility and chemistry. Nazon was deployed on the wing in a 4‑3‑3 formation however struggled to beat defenders — a alternative Head Coach Sébastien Migné has repeated regardless of earlier ineffectiveness. At this stage, each are higher suited as central forwards, however pairing them limits Haiti’s attacking fluidity.
Nazon and Pierrot are like ‘lèt ak sitwon’ (milk and lime) — they don’t combine, some observers notice
Within the second half of Haiti’s Gold Cup opening sport towards Saudi Arabia, substitutes Dany Jean and Ruben Windfall added power off the bench. Jean compelled a powerful save within the ninetieth minute after reducing in from the left wing. Windfall, who had scored towards Aruba, additionally confirmed promise.
But the underlying subject stays: Haiti lacks a prepared younger striker. Gang violence shuttered growth hubs like Camp Nou Academy, and federation instability has disrupted lengthy‑time period planning. Makes an attempt to naturalize diaspora gamers have been brief‑lived.
Amongst present choices, 25‑12 months‑previous Mondy Prunier stands out. He scored 10 objectives this season with Francs Borains in Belgium’s second division — greater than another Grenadier — however stays untested towards prime competitors.
The desk under highlights the efficiency of the eight strikers known as up by Migné, underscoring a few of the group’s struggles.
| Strikers | Membership | Membership appearances in 2024-25 season | Targets/ assists |
| Don Deedson Louicius | Odense Boldklub (Denmark’s prime division) | 29 | 7 / 7 |
| Mikael Cantave | Vancouver Soccer Membership (Canada’s prime division) | 0 | 0 / 0 |
| Dany Jean | Rodez (France’s second division) Torreense (Portugal’s second division) |
30 | 3 / 3 |
| Fabrice-Jean Picault | Inter Miami (U.S. prime division) | 14 | 4 / 0 |
| Duckens Nazon | Kayserispor (Turkey’s prime division) | 33 | 8 / 4 |
| Frantzdy Pierrot | AEK Athens (Greece’s prime division) | 22 | 6 / 0 |
| Mondy Prunier | Francs Borains (Belgium’s second division) | 28 | 10 / 1 |
| Ruben Windfall | Almere Metropolis F.C. (Netherlands’ prime division) | 22 | 0 / 2 |
Up subsequent, amid the necessity for a dependable quantity 9
Haiti faces Trinidad and Tobago on June 19 for its second group stage match after which will face the US on June 22. The USMNT, Haiti’s third and final opponent within the group stage, received’t be a straightforward one.
Fortuitously for Les Grenadiers, they may face a mean and struggling group in Trinidad and Tobago, which misplaced to the U.S. 5-0 on opening day. In opposition to the Soccer Warriors at Shell Vitality Stadium (Houston, TX) at 4:15 EST on Thursday, both Pierrot or Nazon should discover their kind, or one other ahead has to step up and set up himself; the group will want objectives to advance. There can be no room for errors.