Often overlooked in the CONCACAF scheme of things, Haiti has slowly been improving and they are the surprise participant at the 2016 Copa America, their first. Haiti qualified by edging out Trinidad & Tobago in a Copa America Centenario qualifying playoff in January on a late lone goal by Belfort.
Haiti coach Patrice Neveu named his 23-man squad for the Copa America Centenario in the United States next month. Haiti is competing in the continental competition for the first time and will be looking to build on its quarterfinal performance at last year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Video By Inside Haiti: http://insidehaiti.net
Top-scorer from that tournament is 22-year-old Duckens Nazon who is included in the Copa squad, and will front the line alongside Kervens Belfort, Jean-Eudes Maurice, Wilde-Donald Guerrier and Jeff Louis.
Six of the 23 players play in the United States, but only Soni Mustivar (Sporting Kansas City) is playing in MLS, with the rest in NASL. The majority of the squad play overseas, with uncapped Luis Valendi Odelus the only representative from the Ligue Haitienne.
Haiti will play against two-time champion Peru on June 4, before facing eight-time winner Brazil on June 8 and then Ecuador on June 12.
Memorable moments
Haiti’s biggest tourney triumph came when they won the Caribbean Cup in 2007. Their only World Cup appearance ended with three straight losses in 1974. This adventure came during their regional heyday, when they sandwiched a pair of silver medal finishes around their lone CONCACAF Championship triumph in 1973.
June 4 vs. Peru (7:30 pm ET, CenturyLink Field – Seattle, Wa.)
June 8 vs. Brazil (7:30 pm ET, Camping World Stadium – Orlando, Fl.)
June 12 vs. Equador (6:30 pm ET, MetLife Stadium – East Rutherford, NJ.)
Goalkeepers (3): Steward Ceus, Luis Valendi Odelus, Johnny Placide
Defenders (8): Jean Sony Alcenat, Judelin Aveska, Alex Junior Christian, Romain Genevois, Reginal Goreux, Kim Jaggy, Mechack Jerome, Stephane Lambese
Midfielders (7): Jean Alexandre, Max Hilaire, Kevin Lafrance, James Marcelin, Pascal Millien, Soni Mustivar, Sony Norde
Forwards (5): Kervens Belfort, Wilde-Donald Guerrier, Jeff Louis, Jean-Eudes Maurica, Duckens Nazon
Starting XI (5-4-1)
- GK: Johnny Placide (Reims)
- RB: Reginal Goreaux (Standard Liege)
- CB: Kevin Lafrance (Chobry Glogow)
- CB: Romain Genevois (Nice)
- CB: Mechack Jerome (Jacksonville Armada)
- LB: Kim Jaggy (Aarau)
- RM: Jean Sony Alcenat (Steaua Bucharest)
- CM: Jean Alexandre (Negeri Sembilan)
- CM: Soni Mustivar (Sporting KC)
- LM: Jean-Eudes Maurice (Ha Noi)
- FW: Kervens Belfort (1461 Trabzon)
Final Roster
- GK – Placide, Johnny (Stade de Reims / France)
- GK – Ceus, Steward (Minnesota United FC / USA)
- GK – Odelus, Luis Valendi (Aigle Noir / Haiti)
- D – Genevois, Romain (Nice / France)
- D – Jerome, Mechack (Jacksonville Armada / USA)
- D – Aveska, Judelin (Atletico Uruguay / Argentina)
- D – Lambese, Stephane (Paris St-Germain B / France)
- D – Goreux, Reginal (Standard Liege / Belgium)
- D – Jaggy, Kim (FC Aarau / Switzerland)
- D – Christian, Alex (Boavista / Portugal)
- D – Alcenat, Jean Sony (Voluntari / Romania)
- M – Lafrance, Kevin (Chrobry Glogow / Poland)
- M – Alexandre, Jean-Marc (Fort Lauderdale Strikers / USA)
- M – Mustivar, Soni (Sporting Kansas City)
- M – Hilaire, Max (SO Cholet / France)
- M – Millien, Pascal (Jacksonville Armada / USA)
- M – Norde, Sony (Mohun Bagan / India)
- M – Marcelin, James (Carolina RailHawks / USA)
- F – Wilde-Donald Guerrier (Wisla Krakow / Poland)
- F – Louis, Jeff (Caen / France)
- F – Maurice, Jean-Eudes (Ha Noi FC / Vietnam)
- F – Belfort, Kervens (1461 Trabzon / Turkey)
- F – Nazon, Duckens (Laval / France)
Video and Pictures by Inside Haiti :
Inside Haiti lets you live the Copa America Centenario from inside Haiti’s national soccer team and shares the thrill of a nation’s passion for this sport. Feel part of the team with footages of motivation talks, tensions within the team, players’ private moments, and much more.
This is the story of a team with little chance to win, standing proudly on the international sports scene, with a fighting spirit honoring their one chance. In this little Caribean country torn apart by nature’s power, soccer is a collective passion allowing everyone to escape life’s difficulties for as long as the match lasts. – To Learn More, Visit Site Here.
