… Guyana, Haiti to battle again on Tuesday
IT was as if the Haitians were able to channel the spirit of the great General Toussaint L’Ouverture to guide them in battle against Guyana at the National Track and Field Centre.
One would have thought that the match was being played at the Sylvio Cator Stadium, Port-au-Prince, as scores of Haitians flooded the stands at Leonora, waving the ‘drapo Ayiti’ and chanting in creole in jubilation, while Haiti thrashed Guyana 6-2 yesterday, to move atop Group B, in League B, of the 2022/2023 CONCACAF Nations League.
Major League Soccer (MLS) Columbus Crew forward, Derrick Etienne, scored a double on the day (41st, 43rd), as Dany Jean (4th), Steeven Saba (9th), Carnejy Antoine (38th) and Fredler Christophe (80th) accounted for the other goals for Haiti.
Recently promoted Premier League side Bournemouth FC player Nathan Moriah-Welsh (44th) and Forge FC’s Emery Welshman (11th) found the net for Guyana.
The Golden Jaguars’ performance can only be summed up as “pitiful”, as they were defanged by the Haitians who are now on seven points following their demolition of Guyana, coupled with their 3-2 win over Montserrat and a goalless draw with Bermuda.
Guyana will move to second place following 2-1 wins against Montserrat and Bermuda and their latest defeat to Haiti.
With the win, Haiti remained perfect against Guyana in International football, dating back to their two-match tour in 1973, where they won 3-1 and 2-0.
However, since then, Haiti went on to play to a nil-draw in 2010, followed by a 1-0 victory in 2012 and a 3-1 win in 2019, which ironically happened on June 11 that year.
“It was not the result we wanted, the team succumbed to the long ball and it took 45 minutes for them to adjust to that. We had experienced players on the pitch but they couldn’t deal with it how we would have liked,” said Jamaal Shabazz.
Guyana and Haiti will meet again on Tuesday in the Dominican Republic, with Shabazz admitting that it will be another tough battle, telling reporters, “We go forward with courage and with confidence. Hopefully we will see something more special from this.”
He called the upcoming game on June 14 “a test of character, being slaughtered at home and then going to Santo Domingo.”
With injuries plaguing his squad, Shabazz had to do without the services of the Frenchman, Torell Ondaan, and Queens Park Rangers midfielder, Stephen Duke McKenna.
A niggling injury kept Quincy Adams out of the line-up, according to Shabazz.
Quillan Roberts started in goal, while the ‘back line’ featured Sam Cox, Matthew Briggs, Jalen Jones and Leo Lovell.
In the middle, Shabazz went with Daniel Wilson, Nathan Moriah-Welsh, Neil Danns and Trayon Bobb. Upfront, Omari Glasgow and Emery Welshman paired once again.
After a few exchanges of pleasantries, the Haitians showed why they’re a top-10 team in CONCACAF when Dany Jean capitalised on a miscommunication between Guyana’s custodian and his defenders, just four minutes into the contest.
That was just the beginning of a long night for Roberts. Another defensive mishap five minutes later allowed Steeven Saba to double the lead.
But Welshman would pull one back for Guyana, when he was picked out by Moriah-Welsh from a sweet, flat ball in the 18th and he made no mistake in putting it away.
Etienne and Antoine pushed Haiti’s score to 5-1 until Moriah-Welsh scored his first International goal just before halftime when he unleashed a seamer from about 30 yards out to beat French League 2 keeper, Jhony Placide.
It was obvious that Shabazz would have made his first set of changes in the defence. Briggs, Cox and Wilson made way for Jeremy Garrett, Quincy Adams and Tre Mitford.
Later on, former Arsenal winger Anthony Jeffrey and Kelsey Benjamin came in for Welshman and Glasgow. The second-half changes certainly stopped the ‘Haitian onslaught’.
The second half was much quieter on the scoresheet but not for lack of attempts, including Glasgow’s shot on goal in the 52nd minute.
Fredler Christopher’s goal in the 80th minute was the only other goal in the second half.
After Tuesday’s match against Haiti, Guyana travel to Hamilton on March 25, 2023, to face Bermuda.
Shabazz and his troops will close their participation in the second edition of the Nations League with a home game against Montserrat on March 28, 2023.
According to CONCACAF, the Nations League will serve as the qualifier for the 2023 Gold Cup.