MIAMI, Florida – One of the lasting memories of the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup will always be the unforgettable run from Haiti, who reached the semifinals for the first time in their nation’s history and pushed eventual champions Mexico to the limit, narrowly falling 1-0 in extra time.
Over the course of the tournament, Les Grenadiers came back three times from deficits to win, including in the quarterfinals when they rallied from 2-0 down at halftime to defeat Canada 3-2, equaling the greatest comeback in Gold Cup history.
But a new day has dawned for Haiti and now the Caribbean side will be out to show that it can once again be in the title mix. The journey for Haiti will begin in the Prelims, and a tough first opponent in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, a team that secured a clean sheet during the First Round of Concacaf World Cup Qualifying for Qatar 2022.
As is always the case with Haiti, there are plenty of weapons in attack. FW Duckens Nazon is one of the most feared strikers in the Concacaf region and has four career goals in 11 Gold Cup matches.
Nazon also tallied six goals during Concacaf Nations League Qualifying and will enter the tournament in scorching form after scoring four goals in five matches during Concacaf World Cup Qualifying for Qatar 2022.
Another strong option to net goals is Frantzdy Pierrot. The 26-year-old FW has been a goal machine for his country in official competitions, with a pair of goals in CNLQ, two goals in the 2019 Gold Cup, two goals in the 2019-20 CNL and three goals in CWCQ.
There is also a strong midfield that includes speedy wing players like Derrick Etienne Jr., orchestrator Steven Saba, who can pull the strings in attack, and the versatile Kevin Lafrance, who can serve as a midfielder or defender. Both Etienne Jr. and Saba were key components to Haiti’s semifinal run in 2019.
In defense, Carles Arcus of French side Auxerre provides a steady presence, while veteran Mechack Jerome is a physical center back capable of winning any aerial duel.
