Haiti wins Digicel Caribben Cup

Haiti persevered to win the 2006/2007 Digicel Caribbean football cup.

The French Caribbean team silenced a partisan Trinidad and Tobago crowd at the Haseley Crawford Stadium beating the host 2 – 1, last Tuesday night.{{more}}

It was sweet recompense for the Haitians who went under 1 – 3 to Trinidad and Tobago in the preliminary stage of the finals.

But it was a more purposeful Haitian outfit last Tuesday night. The visitors opened their account in the 23rd minute through Boucicant Alexandre who scored from close range.

Fucien Brunch extended the lead in the 53rd minute giving the Haitians a two-goal cushion. Both goals came in similar fashion, as goalkeeper Jan Michael Williams failed to hold the ball at first attempt.

A well-taken free kick by Nigel Daniel in the 66th minute gave the Trinidadians a ray of hope in search of their ninth regional cup title dating back to 1989.

However, this was not to be as the Haitians held to the end. The home team had twenty-two attempts at goal while the Haitians had eleven fewer.

It was an arduous road for the 1974 World Cup finalist, who had the strength of character having to play more matches than of the other 23 teams in the tournament. Haiti ended top of their group in the preliminary round in Jamaica in October but only by goal difference ahead of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

In the second round of qualifications they finished third behind Cuba and Martinique and were made to contest the third place play off in a two match series with Bermuda for the eighth and final team to qualify for the finals

It paid off in the end, as it was all joy for the Haitians who collected the winning cheque of US $120 000 and a spot in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the USA in June. Trinidad and Tobago pocketed $70 000. Cuba secured the third spot and $50,000 beating Guadeloupe 3 – 1. The Guadeloupeans earned $30 000.

Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba and Guadeloupe join Haiti in the Confederation competition. Haiti advanced to the final when they beat Guadeloupe 3 -1, while Trinidad and Tobago is berth in the final was at the expense of Cuba 3 – 1.

The other four teams in the finals were Martinique, Barbados, Guyana, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The Vincentians exited the finals after losing to Cuba 0 – 3 and Guadeloupe 0 -1, but beat Guyana 2 -0.