Haiti certified for the 2026-2027 Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals Sunday regardless of a 2-0 loss to Los Ticos Costa Rica, at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá in San José, Costa Rica, ending second in Group A with 9 factors and advancing to the knockout stage.
Les Grenadiers’ qualification was confirmed after their neighboring rivals, the Dominican Republic, defeated Nicaragua later Sunday however completed behind Haiti on aim distinction. Curaçao received the group with 10 factors whereas Haiti and the Dominican Republic each completed with 9. Because of this, Haiti’s plus-four aim distinction gave it the sting to second place within the regional event.
The end result capped a four-match group marketing campaign wherein Haiti scored 9 targets and conceded 5 below new coach David Badía. The workforce opened with three consecutive victories — a 3-2 comeback in opposition to Trinidad and Tobago, a 2-0 win over Costa Rica and a 4-1 rout of the Dominican Republic — earlier than falling to Costa Rica within the group finale.
Qualifying for the quarterfinal provides Haiti a powerful begin to a brand new cycle following the World Cup. The Nations League marketing campaign has given the workforce a direct alternative to reset below Badía, who took cost in September.
Costa Rica strikes early to finish Haiti’s successful streak
Costa Rica, seeking to keep away from relegation to League B, took management early in entrance of their followers.
Carlos Mora opened the scoring within the sixth minute, heading in from a nook. Andrey Soto doubled the lead within the twenty first minute with a left-footed end, giving Costa Rica a 2-0 benefit earlier than halftime.
Haiti, which began the match with 4 adjustments to the beginning 11 that beat the Dominican Republic on Oct. 1, struggled to reply to Costa Rica’s punches. The workforce completed with six photographs and none on the right track, whereas Costa Rica registered 13 photographs and three on the right track.
The defeat ended Haiti’s three-game successful streak below Badía and its run and not using a loss in opposition to Costa Rica in six matches since 2019.
Costa Rica’s victory additionally avenged Haiti’s 2-0 win over Los Ticos on Sept. 27 at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica. Haiti needed to host that match exterior the nation due to a FIFA ban on its solely normal stadium, Stade Sylvio Cator in Port-au-Prince, because of the ongoing safety scenario.
“That is how Haiti at all times does it: We are going to get again up once more after this defeat. We are going to come again stronger, harder, for Haiti,” the Haitian Soccer Federation (FHF) posted after the sport on its Fb web page.
Quarterfinals supply a direct path to 2027 Gold Cup
Haiti’s subsequent Nations League matches can be within the quarterfinals over two legs in November in opposition to the USA — one of many 4 pre-seeded groups, together with Mexico, Canada and Panama. The quarterfinal pairings are decided by the ultimate group-stage rankings and Concacaf’s prescribed seeding system.
This subsequent spherical carries a further stake past development in the Nations League finals to be performed at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium. The 4 quarterfinal winners will qualify instantly for the 2027 Concacaf Gold Cup, whereas the 4 dropping groups will advance to the Gold Cup Prelims.
For Haiti, that makes the November collection the subsequent main check of a workforce starting a brand new cycle after its long-awaited return to the World Cup.
Les Grenadiers depart the September-October FIFA window with three victories, one defeat, and a quarterfinal ticket of their pocket—a basis they’ll now attempt to construct on because the post-World Cup period takes form.
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