US, Honduras, and Haiti all survive Group B
US, Honduras, and Haiti all survive Group B
The USA literally left it to the last minute, but they managed to clinch Group B in the Gold Cup with a 2-2 draw against Haiti in Foxborough, Massachusetts on July 11th. If Haiti could have just hung on a little longer it would have been their first win over the Americans in 40 years. The last time they beat them was in May 1969. The draw also extended the Americans very impressive unbeaten record in Gold Cup play as they have won 23 and drawn two matches in the history of the tournament in group play.
The point gave the US top spot in the group with seven points on two wins and a draw. They now take on Panama in a quarterfinal match on Saturday (July 18th) in Philadelphia. The point also helped out Haiti as they ended up in third place with a 1-1-1 record for four points. They also go through to the playoff stage as one of the top two third-place teams and will meet Mexico in Arlington, Texas on Sunday (July 19th).
The Americans will be attempting to win their third straight Gold Cup, which is the championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean.
“What an irony,” Haiti coach Jairo Rios stated. “The poorest country in the world against what could be considered the superpower of the world and they (the Haitians) could be able to hold themselves on the field, demonstrating the real passion for the game from the players. Before the tournament started everybody thought that we were just going to come and make a fool out of ourselves,” Rios added.
Houston Dynamo midfielder Stuart Holden saved the day for the Americans as he hammered home a shot from 10 yards out in injury time that sailed past keeper Jean Dominique Zephirin and into the top right corner of the net.
The US handed goalie Luis Robles, defenders Jay Heaps, and Brad Evans, midfielders Sam Cronin, and Colin Clark their international debuts, along with forward Davy Arnaud. That meant six out of the starting 11 were playing for their country for the first time.
It didn’t take Arnaud long to make his mark as he scored in the fifth minute to give the US an early lead. Holden set it up as he sent a short pass to Arnaud who controlled it at the top of the penalty area. He then slid a left-footed shot to the right of Zephirin, who couldn’t cut down the angle.
Half time ended 1-0, but Haiti scored twice in the first four minutes of the second half to take a 2-1 lead. In the first minute of the second half, Leonel Saint Preaux crossed the ball to Vaniel Sirin, who headed it into the net. Just four minutes later, Haiti jumped out in front as keeper Robles left his net to try and collect a loose ball, but before he got to it, somebody slipped it over to the ball was passed out to Mones Chery. Robles tried to get back to get in position, but Chery drilled a shot into the top left corner of the net from about 10 yards out.
That would have held up as the winner if Holden hadn’t played the hero role for the US in injury time.
In the other Group B match, Honduras clinched second place in the group with a 4-0 whitewash over Grenada. Honduras, who had six points from two wins and a loss, will now meet Canada in the quarterfinals in Philadelphia on Saturday (July 18th).
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Comment by Sherley — July 18, 2009 @ 1:35 pm
Everytime the media or someone talks about Haiti is it fair that you guys keep repeating that Haiti is the poorest country ok we get it Shame on that coach for saying it because his living very well n he gets paid very well we poor we poor n ure getting paid big money u guys love to putting labels on haiti n it’s never something good shame. Haiti God loves you even if the rest of the world specially the Yanks don’t like u
Comment by Text to speech — July 18, 2009 @ 6:36 pm
The draw also extended the Americans very impressive unbeaten record in Gold Cup play as they have won 23 and drawn two matches in the history of the tournament in group play.