Overview:
Haiti’s under-17 boys staff cruised previous Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) 5-0 in its World Cup qualifying opening recreation. The staff regarded in type, not like the earlier youth groups, hinting at a attainable return of a Haitian youth soccer staff within the World Cup.
Previous to Haiti’s under-17 Concacaf’s World Cup qualifiers debut, head coach Eddy Cesar bragged to FIFA about having a gifted roster and mentioned his two prime gamers are left winger Emerson Laissé, 15, and attacking midfielder Franco Celestin, 16.
Certainly, Laissé and Celestin regarded like males taking part in towards boys as they carried Les Grenadiers to a 5-0 victory towards Saint Vincent and the Grenadines within the opening spherical of the Concacaf’s FIFA U-17 World Cup qualifiers at Estadio Cementos Progreso in Guatemala Metropolis, Guatemala on Tuesday evening, Feb. 11.
Laissé netted the sport’s opening aim and contributed to a different one with a second help. In the meantime, Celestin scored a stunner within the second half. Laissé and Celestin had been each born in Haiti however they’re already taking part in abroad in Jamaica for Mount Pleasant FA after wowing scouts in the course of the Caribbean Football Union Under-14 Challenge in 2022. Though they’re nonetheless within the early levels of their profession, the 2 are a glitter of hope for Haitian soccer throughout a tough time for younger gamers’ growth as a result of Centre FIFA Objective in Croix-des-Bouquets, which had as soon as been instrumental to this undertaking, has been inactive because the newest escalating gang violence within the Haitian capital and its surrounding areas. Deserted as a result of rampant gang-fueled insecurity within the Cul-de-Sac Plain, the power was taken over by the 400 Mawozo gang on Feb. 9.
Nicknamed Ranch in Creole, the Centre FIFA Objective produced probably the most profitable Haitian gamers plying their commerce abroad now — notably within the girls’s groups — extra notably world-class midfielder Melchie Daëlle “Corventina” Dumornay. Most of the gamers developed on the housing coaching middle had been a part of the final Haitian groups that performed in World Cups, the ladies’s staff in 2023 and the under-20 girls’s staff in 2017.
No Ranch, no downside on Tuesday evening
After the Centre FIFA Objective stopped working, Haiti’s youth groups primarily went abroad for gamers and struggled. The groups lacked togetherness and starvation, two traits the Ranch gamers had been identified for. As an illustration, the U-20 males’s groups put up substandard performances within the final stage of the World Cup qualifiers, failing to qualify for the event in July 2024. The U-17 ladies’ staff additionally didn’t qualify for the World Cup within the 2024 qualifiers.
The teenage Grenadiers’ commanding efficiency towards Saint Vincent and the Grenadines introduced again the outdated glory days of Haitian youth groups’ dominance within the Caribbean. Nonetheless, they had been taking part in towards a a lot weaker staff on Tuesday evening. The younger Haitians had been assured as they had been explosive and scientific once they had the ball at their toes. They didn’t lack chemistry as seen within the earlier youth Haitian sides. The gamers knew precisely the place to seek out their teammates and consequently, moved the ball effectively.
Defensively, the gamers had been disciplined as they remained of their positions and delivered arduous however clear tackles when wanted.
Objectives upon targets mixed with particular person masterpieces
Carrying the heavy Haiti quantity 10 on his again, Laissé regarded like a rising star from the second the ball touched his toes. The 15-year-old effortlessly introduced an extended cross down amid a few Saint Vincent defenders as if he was training alone at a coaching floor early within the recreation. He then dribbled previous them as if he was dribbling between cones. Laissé terrorized Saint Vincent’s proper flank on Tuesday evening, even when he misplaced the ball, he simply gained it again and dribbled once more. However as talked about, Saint Vincent was a a lot weaker opponent.
A second of brilliance from Laissé drew the opener within the twelfth minute. He finessed his well beyond three Saint Vincent gamers down the left wing and slotted a shot to the close to submit. The Saint Vincent & Grenadines gamers had been too gradual to react and the opposing goalkeeper mustn’t have gotten overwhelmed close to the submit, however, it was an alluring particular person play from Laissé. Eight minutes later, Laissé dazzled down the left flank once more previous Saint Vincent gamers and located Djouby Jean Philippe within the field with a floor field. Jean Philippe pushed the ball to an unmarked Nikolaï Pierre, who didn’t fail to seek out the web.
Pierre, Haiti’s large Quantity 9, was on the right track once more when he headed Medinel Zamor’s cross into the web within the forty second minute. Later within the second half, Zamor delivered one other pinpoint cross within the field, which Théo Lacombe headed into the web within the forty sixth minute.
So, so as to add to Laissé and Celestin’s particular person glories, Zamor and Pierre additionally shined on Tuesday evening as they collected a mix of two assists and two targets.
For the final aim, Celestin wiggled his well beyond a sea of yellow Saint Vincent gamers earlier than banging a shot to the highest far left nook of the web.
Haiti sits in first place after the primary spherical with three factors. The winner of the group will qualify instantly for the World Cup.
Up subsequent, Haiti will face one other staff that’s weaker on paper, Antigua and Barbuda, on Thursday at 5:00 p.m. ET at Estadio Cementos Progreso, once more in Guatemala Metropolis, Guatemala.
After this recreation, Haiti will conflict towards a reasonably sturdy facet, Guatemala, on Sunday at 8:00 p.m. ET on the similar venue. Guatemala defeated Antigua 2-1 on Tuesday evening. Sunday’s conflict between Guatemala, who might need a bonus as a result of it is going to play at house, might resolve which staff in Group B will make it to the World Cup.