Overview:
Haiti’s U-17 males’s group is one win away from qualifying for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup after a 4–0 victory over Antigua and Barbuda moved Les Petits Grenadiers into second place in Group C. The consequence units up a decisive remaining qualifier towards group chief Guatemala on Feb. 10. Haiti should win to advance, whereas Guatemala can qualify with a win or a draw.
CAP-HAÏTIEN — Haiti’s U-17 males’s group is now one win away from qualifying for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup — and making historical past within the course of.
With a dominant 4–0 victory over Antigua and Barbuda, Les Petits Grenadiers moved into second place in Group C and arrange a decisive remaining match towards group chief Guatemala on Tuesday evening. A win would ship Haiti to a second straight U-17 World Cup — one thing no Haitian group at this stage has achieved earlier than.
The showdown towards the group chief, Guatemala, will decide the one computerized qualifier from the group. A draw or loss eliminates Haiti. Guatemala advances with both a win or a draw.
Followers reacted rapidly on social media after the second straight win.
Gadiner Jean Robenson was referring to the truth that the senior males’s group will take part within the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the under-17 ladies’s group reached the second spherical of the 2026 U-17 Girls’s World Cup qualifiers final week. So, Haiti has the chance to play in three World Cups this yr.
Haiti opened the Concacaf U-17 qualifiers with two robust outcomes — a 5–1 win over Grenada, adopted by the 4–0 shutout towards Antigua and Barbuda — scoring 9 objectives throughout two matches and transferring into competition for the group’s lone World Cup spot.
The group winner routinely qualifies for the World Cup, making the Feb. 10 matchup between the highest two groups decisive. Haiti should win to qualify, whereas Guatemala would safe its spot with both a win or a draw.
Offensive prowess
By way of two matches, Les Petits Grenadiers have proven fluid motion from the again line into assault, with fast passing and coordinated runs. The group has accomplished greater than 1,000 passes to this point — among the many prime totals within the qualifiers — and created repeated probabilities by way of wing play and counterattacks.
Winger Emerson Laissé, 16, has been one of many breakout performers. Harmful on the left aspect, he has repeatedly crushed defenders and leads the group in assists with three. He additionally drew two penalties towards Grenada and transformed one.
Observers word his improved composure in contrast with final yr’s FIFA U-17 World Cup, typically taking an additional second to select the ultimate move.
Middle ahead Marvenly Exilas, 15, additionally made a right away impression, scoring a hat trick in his first official match with Haiti towards Grenada. The Miragoâne native has proven sharp positioning contained in the field and calm ending on counterattacks. He additionally compelled an personal objective towards Antigua and Barbuda with a pushed cross.
“He’s solely 15 years outdated and has a whole lot of potential,” sports activities reporter Caleb Jephté Pierre wrote on Facebook, calling Exilas a future contender on the No. 9 place.
So as to add to his three objectives, Exilas additionally compelled an personal objective out of Antigua by way of a cross.
Defensive holes
Regardless of the robust scorelines, defensive gaps stay a priority heading into the match towards Guatemala, which has scored 9 objectives in two video games.
Haiti has allowed only one objective to this point, however defenders have at occasions been caught out of place, leaving runners unmarked throughout transitions. Goalkeeper Clifford Gene was compelled right into a key one-on-one save within the second half towards Antigua and Barbuda to protect the clear sheet.
Followers and analysts say these lapses may show expensive towards a sharper assault.
“If we didn’t have goalkeeper, we’d’ve conceded a whole lot of objectives,” Ducles Wenkel commented on Facebook. “The protection wants a whole lot of assist, on the appropriate, on the left, and within the center. This identical downside within the protection made us lose all of our video games within the World Cup final yr.”
The warning is given based mostly on latest historical past. Within the final U-17 World Cup, Haiti conceded closely in group play, together with an 8–1 loss to England — this system’s worst defeat at that stage.
“The group [Haiti] is nice with the ball, it assaults nicely,” Samson le Grand commented on Facebook. “However the gamers aren’t good with out the ball. They don’t press as a block. And the protection isn’t strong sufficient. We have to deal with these earlier than the final match.”
Haiti’s protection may determine whether or not it reaches a second straight World Cup. The group should beat the host and group chief, Guatemala, to advance.
The match might be performed at Progreso Cementos Stadium in Guatemala Metropolis at 8 p.m. ET and streamed on Concacaf’s YouTube channel.