Overview:
Haiti squandered key possibilities and tactical selections in a 0-0 draw with Honduras to open the ultimate spherical of World Cup qualifying as host. Sports activities reporter Onz Chéry breaks down why Haiti fell wanting incomes essential three factors that would have positioned them on prime of Group C earlier than a more durable match away to Costa Rica.
Haiti’s males’s soccer group missed a chance to begin the ultimate spherical of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers with three factors, drawing 0-0 with Honduras on Sept. 5 as host at Ergilio Hato Stadium in Willemstad, Curaçao—in entrance of fewer than 10,000 followers, principally Haitians.
The Grenadiers appeared the sharper group for a lot of the match and created extra possibilities, however a mix of tactical missteps and missed alternatives left them settling for a single level. Striker Frantzdy Pierrot missed two golden possibilities in entrance of the aim. On the identical time, newcomer and English Premier League-based midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, Haiti’s most high-profile addition in years, was deployed in a task that minimized his attacking affect.
Nonetheless, regardless of difficulties forward for the Haitians, the consequence leaves them stage in factors with everybody else in Group C, the place Costa Rica and Nicaragua additionally drew 1-1 on the opening night time. With solely the group winner qualifying straight for the subsequent Summer season international occasion in the USA, Canada and Mexico, each level issues.
Haiti’s head coach, Frenchman Sébastien Migné, lamented his gamers’ lack of effectivity in entrance of their opponents’ aim, however praised the defensive solidity of his group and expressed confidence for the longer term.
“We lacked precision in entrance of the opposing protection to attain targets and safe a victory to start with. It might be as a consequence of a insecurity, as we haven’t scored in a number of matches.”
Head Coach Sébastien Migné
“We lacked precision in entrance of the opposing protection to attain targets and safe a victory to start with,” Migné stated in a post-game interview with the Haitian Soccer Federation (FHF) Media.
“It may be as a consequence of a insecurity, as we haven’t scored in a number of video games. Nonetheless, we have now demonstrated that we’re as much as the problem, and I’m optimistic about the remainder of the competitors.”
Listed here are 5 key components that price Haiti an important win towards Honduras.
1. Bellegarde was misused in midfield
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, 27, who made his debut after committing to Haiti this summer time, is a flexible Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder able to dictating play, scoring or creating possibilities. But, as an alternative of utilizing him larger up the pitch, Haiti’s teaching employees deployed him as a box-to-box midfielder, the place he dropped deep to gather the ball and lined an excessive amount of floor earlier than he might pose any hazard for the Honduran protection.
He excelled within the first half, controlling tempo and exhibiting composure, however pale within the second half as fatigue set in. His deployment deeper additionally muted the influence of teammates Leverton Pierre and Danley Jean-Jacques, who had been much less efficient in superior roles. Had Bellegarde been positioned nearer to the aim to roam freely behind striker Frantzdy Pierrot, Haiti’s greatest likelihood for a breakthrough might have been realized.
2. Pierrot’s technical limitations confirmed once more
Frantzdy Pierrot, at 6-foot-4 ahead—deployed in his pure place as a quantity 9—presents aerial presence however usually struggles in Haiti’s fast attacking transitions. In opposition to the Central Individuals, he missed two one-on-one alternatives as a consequence of a scarcity of first-touch and was too gradual on the ball when drifting large or dropping into midfield.
The Haitian striker performs greatest when he doesn’t need to drop deep and stays close to the opponents’ defensive third, ready for a via ball and aerial crosses from the wingers or fullbacks on both aspect of the sphere.
His monitor document in massive matches has been inconsistent, and Haiti’s want for a quick, medical striker was clear. Yassin Fortuné, who entered late, instantly appeared sharper, practically scoring with a curling shot from distance within the 87th minute. Haiti might must rethink its reliance on Pierrot transferring ahead.
3. Set-piece wastefulness
Haiti earned eight nook kicks however didn’t convert any of them into targets, squandering a serious benefit. Pierrot, normally robust within the air, and his teammates had been both astray or poorly served him with crosses.
In opposition to a disciplined Honduras protection—however confirmed weaknesses in coping with balls within the air, set items represented Haiti’s greatest scoring avenue. As a substitute, the alternatives went begging, leaving the group with out the innovative required to win at this stage.
4. Lack of late-game strain
Within the closing levels, with the match begging for a decisive aim, Haiti’s forwards eased off their urgent. Honduras, against this, utilized strain to Haiti’s again line and appeared the extra prone to steal the sport and all three factors.
Whether or not as a consequence of fatigue or tactical alternative, Haiti’s lack of urgency was obvious as the sport was nearing the top. In high-stakes qualifiers, dedication within the remaining minutes usually separates contenders from those that fall brief.
5. Louicius Don Deedson wasn’t prepared to begin
At 24, Louicius Don Deedson is taken into account one among Haiti’s brightest attacking prospects. However beginning him towards Honduras backfired. He had solely joined the group the night time earlier than as a consequence of administrative delays and has barely been featured since transferring to Main League Soccer (MLS) membership FC Dallas in July.
Don Deedson appeared drained inside half an hour and didn’t make an influence. Bringing him off the bench would have preserved his vitality for a decisive late contribution.
The larger image
Haiti’s efficiency confirmed promise—notably in possession and midfield management—but in addition highlighted the challenges of molding a group nonetheless reliant fully on foreign-based gamers. The Grenadiers can’t afford related slip-ups as they face Costa Rica in San José on Sept. 9, a a lot more durable take a look at. However, with Costa Rica additionally failing to beat Nicaragua, diminished to 10 males for nearly a complete half, the Ticos confirmed limitations that the Grenadiers might exploit.
A Nicaraguan participant, midfielder Byron Coronel, was proven a pink card within the 54th minute for a foul foul on a Costa Rican participant as he was working away from his marker.
As for Haiti, nevertheless, drawing towards Honduras, who appeared beatable all sport lengthy, might show expensive down the highway. To remain alive within the race for his or her first World Cup since 1974, Haiti should sharpen its assault, make higher tactical changes, and seize the moments that matter.
The Grenadiers should end forward of Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua within the Concacaf matches to ensure a spot in subsequent summer time’s soccer event
The nation’s lone World Cup look got here in Germany over 50 years in the past, the place Haiti’s group, led by striker Emmanuel “Manno” Sanon, shocked the world by scoring first within the inaugural match towards mighty Italy and eventual event champions earlier than exiting within the group stage with three losses for as many video games performed. Since then, Haiti has endured many years of close to misses and heartbreaks.
Within the 2010 qualifiers, Haiti reached the semifinal spherical of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Soccer Affiliation (Concacaf) play, a promising run that finally fell wanting the hexagonal and remaining stage. Extra not too long ago, Haiti struggled within the 2018 cycle, exiting within the early rounds after a disappointing sequence towards Jamaica, and once more within the 2022 qualifiers, the place a heavy playoff defeat to Canada dashed hopes of advancing.
These setbacks have solely heightened the load of this marketing campaign. With Concacaf gaining extra World Cup slots than ever earlier than, Haiti has a real likelihood to rejoin the worldwide stage. However the incapability to beat a weak Honduras aspect within the opener reveals how small margins can derail that ambition.
Now, with more durable assessments looming towards Costa Rica and a resilient Nicaragua, the Grenadiers should show they’ll translate potential into factors — or threat seeing one other cycle slip away.