Haitian Optimism http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/soccer/7274470.htm Looks like Haitian soccer might be on the upswing. How far can the get in WCQ?
The article states that "The winner of today's match advances to the final eight in Mexico City, and the top two from there earn spots in the Olympics.". However, this match is only the "home" match for Haiti. They still have to play the "away" match in Honduras. That game will be played in my hometown of La Ceiba. That stadium reminds of Saprissa, only smaller. The fans are an arm's reach away from the field and can get very rowdy. It will be a very tough place to play for Haiti.
WCQ draw Haiti will start their difficult path to the WCQs 2006 against the Turks & Caicos Isles in a home/home series. Not much of a problem here, but if they advance they will have to overcome the more experienced Jamaica in order to reach the CONCACAF semifinals. How's this looking for the Haitians?
Haiti is practicing in Ft. Lauderdale Florida they practice on Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. if you live close to the area and want to come watch the Haitian Nationals preparing for WCQ they practice at the Lauderhill Sports Complex, alongside my youth team and miami-based club, Renegades Elite.
US vs. Haiti friendly 3/13/2004 - TV Coverage? USSoccer.com doesn't have any TV info or listing (just MatchTracker) for this upcoming match. Any Spanish-language possibilities that anyone knows of?
I doubt they show it, because Haiti is not a big Footballing country, thank God they are playing in Miami for this one.
USA - Haiti TV US vs. Haiti will be available live via DirecTV PPV. The game will also be televised by HDNet. Additional PPV outlets may be added so check out www.ppvsports.com for updates.
Fernando Clavijo works for free! This is a great article dealing with the struggle that Clavijo has with Haiti. It appears that it trully is a labor of love. I am all for the US Haiti game simply because it will put some money in the pockets of Haitians. They are playing Panama in Florida also. http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-haiti_sports_feature&prov=reuters&type=lgns
I notice that Haiti have already played both legs of their WCQ group, advancing for the next round where they will face Jamaica. Is this related to the recent turmoil in their country? Where was the home leg played? What are the chances that the current crisis may hurt their qualifying chances?
Both legs were played in Miami for obvious reasons, and I'd assume this will continue for their Jamaican game. The friendly with USA will also be in Miami. (Haitians like this city)
Haitian Players Watch the Ball and the Tube Haitian Players Watch the Ball and the Tube By GEORGE VECSEY New York Times Published: March 4, 2004 IN their spare time, they stare at the television: the roaming mobs, the bodies in the street, the fire and the smoke. They make frantic phone calls, hoping their families are all right as their homeland, Haiti, goes through another wave of terror. Meanwhile, they represent their country the only way they know how, by kicking a soccer ball in a public park in South Florida. The players on the national team of Haiti have no money coming from home, as they prepare for qualifying games for the 2006 World Cup. On March 13 at the Orange Bowl, Haiti will meet the United States in an exhibition that soccer people call a friendly. This is a team and a nation that sorely need a friendly. They play through the fear, citizens of a nation that has known little but terror and poverty. At the very least, the players are coached by a man who understands the concerns of marginal people. "Before I took this job, I needed to know Haiti," said Fernando Clavijo, a Uruguayan immigrant who became a member on the United States World Cup squad of 1994. "You couldn't believe the poverty," he said. "You had to smell it. But the incredible thing is how beautiful and clean everybody was, the kids going to school. I never felt any fear. This is what I felt from the beginning." Clavijo took the job as coach of Haiti on the provision that the players would be based in South Florida, where he makes his home. They were living in modest motels, but as the Aristide government fell apart in recent weeks, the national federation stopped sending money. With the players essentially stranded, Clavijo says, "I invest in the team," meaning he spends rather than earns. It is Clavijo's way of putting something back. Now 48, Clavijo came to New York more than a quarter of a century ago, a soccer player without papers and without a professional team. He worked in restaurants on Long Island — "The best busboy they ever had," Clavijo said the other day. One night the feds blocked the doors and the windows and started collaring the desperate people who washed dishes and cut vegetables. Somebody at the restaurant stripped the apron off the "best busboy" and sat him down with some patrons and handed him a bottle of red. When the feds had made their haul, Clavijo was weak in the knees, but he still had a place in this country. By 1994, he was an American citizen, playing against Brazil in the World Cup on the Fourth of July. He is grateful for how far he has traveled. "People in South America complain about poverty, but they have no idea," said Clavijo, who still has ties to Uruguay. "In Haiti I saw people taking turns to sleep because they don't have enough beds." Although he coached the New England Revolution in Major League Soccer and observed his good friend Bora Milutinovic handling disparate people on the United States team, Clavijo was not prepared for coaching a national team whose president has stepped down under duress. "There are some guys who are celebrating and some guys who are not," Clavijo said. "You don't even know." Last Saturday night in an exhibition in Nicaragua, he sent his starting lineup on the field, only to learn that the home of Peter Germain, one of his starters, had been burned down in Haiti. "The game started and his mind was not there," Clavijo said. "Should I take him out? If I do, I may destroy him. But he is a professional. He does his job." Clavijo speaks Spanish, English and a little French, but he does not understand the Creole of most of his players. He finds himself morphing into his mentor, Bora, who could use a Serbian verb, a Spanish noun and an Italian adjective, maybe even veer into English, all in the same sentence. Language, however, is the least of it. Some Haitian players have visas that allow re-entry to the United States and others do not. Clavijo must do the paperwork and the liaison work himself. There is a bright spot. A private development company, Caribbean American Corporate Services, has found apartments for the players, and is trying to raise money through endorsements. The company exists to "empower communities here and in the Caribbean," said Linda César, its spokeswoman. The company has agreed to subsidize some new expenses, although César quickly added, "We understand there are past issues, but we take responsibility only from when we started." The players pursue their long-shot hope of qualifying for the World Cup, which Haiti did once, in 1974. They also hope to visit home. For now, they practice twice a day, which still leaves time to watch horrifying images on a television screen, a long way from home.
There are over 200,000 Haitians in the S. Florida area. Anyway, Haiti relied on veteran Johnny Descollines (hat trick) in the first leg and cruised in the 2nd leg against a Turks and Caicos Islands that I might have been able to come off the bench and play for, they were that poor. One player for Haiti that I think is underrated is Pierre Bruny, a strong central defender who absolutely dominated his area against Ecuador a couple of years ago and has been solid every time I 've seen him play. How he handles players like Onandi Lowe will be key in Haiti's chances to advance.
In case anyone hasn't found out, Haiti tied the USA today, 1-1. Everyone is in an uproar over our performance, but I wanna take time to congradulate Haiti. I am excited about Haiti's chances in qualifying this year. They seemed to do very well against Turks & Caicos Islands (from what I read, wasn't able to watch them play the matches), and then tonight played very solid as well. I will be cheering for them in their aggregate against Jamaica, which is starting to look more winnable for Haiti. I think that will be the most highly contested 2nd round matchup, along with Panama vs St. Lucia (if St. Lucia make it through). If they can get past the Reggae Boyz I think they will have a legit shot at making it to the CONCACAF Final 6 since the semifinal group will be relatively easier (compared to Jamaica) with El Salvador and Panama (if they both avoid upsets as well). And once they are in the Final 6, well, they only have to beat out two teams in order to get a chance at the World Cup. I know that's getting way up there, but just something to think about. Anyways, congrats again, and good luck vs Jamaica!
Haiti vs St Vincent Grenadines tonight in Fortlauderdale you guys can go watch haiti national team vs st vicent grenadines at Westminster academy park in fortlauderdale.
Haiti beat Brazil Haiti beat Brazil 1994 all stars by 2-1. great and fun match today. the strong haitian defense kept Both Romario and Bebeto scoreless. great performance by the haitians.
Re: Haiti beat Brazil the way haiti dominates this game show that maybe haiti was the Ronaldo's Ronaldinho's and them...... wooooooo a lot of skills by the haitians, good stuff.
Re: Haiti beat Brazil good cause! UNICEF AND 200 THOUSAND kids will favor from the game, Dungas' initiative.
Re: Haiti, national Team [R] amistosos 2005 haiti announces a friendly vs COSTA RICA, before ticos take on mexico for the hex wc06. no specific date was made or venue! at the same time mexicans before the game vs CR....will play in carson, CA 2games: vs sweden and Korea