COUVA, Trinidad & Tobago — Asked to put into words the raw emotion felt immediately after the final whistle that signified Haiti’s historic and dramatic 1-0 win over Canada in the third place match of the 2018 CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship, Sherly Jeudy couldn’t help but let out a giggle.
It’s a feeling that will last for a long time for Jeudy and her teammates, who clinched the country’s first-ever FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup berth Sunday at Ato Boldon Stadium.
The 19-year-old’s first CU20W goal is the one that will go down in Haitian history as she latched onto an inch-perfect through ball by captain Nerilia Mondesir and burst into the 18-yard box with her first touch. On her second touch, Jeudy blasted the ball just under the crossbar from 12-yards out for what proved to be the game-winner in the 18th minute.
“I’m very happy I was able to score the goal, but I’m even happier for Haiti as a country,” said Jeudy. “I was just so very happy because we were able to qualify.”
Despite being the youngest team at the CU20W, there was a confidence among the Haitians that they could achieve what no other Caribbean county was able to do previously.
Did Jeudy believe a World Cup berth was possible? She offered up a simple response: “Oui.”
One reason, according to the midfielder, was the work put in during the tournament and even well before it arrived in Trinidad & Tobago. That effort, Jeudy pledges, will continue in France this August as Haiti continues to chase history.
“The team worked hard to get here,” she finished. “We know going forward we have to work even harder so we can advance in the competition.”
