DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – It was a night to remember for Violette AC of Haiti, as they marched to a 3-0 Round of 16 first leg victory over Austin FC to open the 2023 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League on Tuesday night at the Estadio Cibao FC in Santiago, Dominican Republic.

The star of the show was FW Miche-Naider Chery, who hammered in two first half headers to lead Violette to the first victory ever for a Haitian club in the SCCL era. It was also the first win for a Caribbean side against an MLS opponent in SCCL play since a 4-1 win for the Puerto Rico Islanders against the Los Angeles Galaxy in the 2010-11 edition.

It was a dream start for Violette, as the Caribbean side jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 13’ when Chery snapped home a header off a cross from Roberto Louima from the left wing.

Austin FC looked to respond, and they got their first good look at goal in the 27’ when Rodney Redes did well to chest down a diagonal pass but fired wide.

But the momentum stayed with Violette and they would once again bring the home fans to their feet with a second score before halftime in the 39’. Louima went to work again on the left flank, laying off a pass to the charging Denilson Pierre, who sent in a cross that was headed into goal by Chery for his second goal of the night and a 2-0 Violette lead.

Violette picked up where they left off to start the second half, as some pressure from a Chery header deep in the Austin FC area led to an Amro Tarek own goal in the 47’, making it 3-0 to the Haitians.

Austin FC were eager to try to pull a goal back and committed numbers forward as play drifted into the final half-hour, and nearly got a score when Maximiliano Urruti fired a shot off the post in the 86’, but the Violette defense were resolute and refused to yield an inch, keeping the Austin FC attack at bay to nail down the historic result.