Nazon brace helps Haiti march into next round of Prelims

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida – Haiti kicked off the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup Prelims with a commanding 6-1 victory over Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on Friday at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

With the win, Haiti advance to the Second Round of the Prelims, where they will face the winner between Bermuda and Barbados with a berth in the Gold Cup group stage at stake.

Haiti were in control from the start and nearly broke the deadlock in the 21’, but Saint Vincent and The Grenadines GK Nigell Charles made a diving save to his right to deny Carnejy Antoine.

The 1-0 breakthrough would come soon enough, though, with Duckens Nazon stroking home a penalty in the 26’ after Derrick Etienne Jr. was brought down in the area.

The first goal loosened up the Haitian attack and Frantzdy Pierrot doubled the advantage to 2-0 in the 33’ with a strong header off a deflection from the Vincy Heat defense.

The Haitian attack kept coming in waves and another penalty call saw Etienne Jr. convert a spot kick in the 37’ to extend the lead to 3-0.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines did not get their heads down and Kyle Edwards was able to get on the end of a free kick and touch past Haiti GK Josue Duverger before slotting into net to cut the deficit to 3-1 in the 42’. Edwards goal was the first ever for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in three games in Gold Cup. 

Some individual magic from Nazon in the 59’ yielded the fourth goal for Haiti, as the veteran FW gathered a pass, made a move to elude a defender and fired in to make it 4-1 to Haiti. It was Nazon´s six goal in 10 games in Gold Cup.

Haiti were keen to not extend Saint Vincent and the Grenadines a lifeline and continued to pressure, rounding out the 6-1 triumph via an own goal in the 72’ and an Antoine finish in the 90’.