Saturday, January 13, 2007

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: Haiti opened their Digicel Caribbean Cup Finals tournament with a 1-0 win over the French West Indies side Martinique after a hard fought 90 minutes in the Hasley Crawford stadium.

Haiti opened the brighter of the two sides and with Guillame Stephane and Mones Chery combining well for Haiti posed the greater threat. In fact it was the same two players who combined to set Brunel Fucien through on goal in the 12th minute. The pacey striker was coolness personified when he neatly lifted the ball over the onrushing Martinique keeper Eddie Heurlie and had the easiest of tasks to simply poke home the ball into an empty net.

Haiti showed real purpose as they did not sit on their lead and took the game to Martinique. They were unfortunate again in fact in the 38th minute when captain Richard Bruny saw his well timed shot fly past the wrong side of the post.

Martinique showed more purpose and intent in the second half and came close to the elusive equalizer on 62 minutes when Patrick Percin combined well with Steve Gustan to set up Audrick Linord who went so close with a right footed effort that seemed destined to hit the back of the Haiti net.

Martinique were further aggrieved when their striker Franciano Etinof was brought down by Haitian keeper Fenelon Gabard when straight through on goal. However referee Courtney Campbell only produced the yellow card for the lucky Haitian.

This was to prove vital as from the ensuing free kick Gabard made a wonderful save from Gustan’s fine effort that forced the Haitian net minder into a fine one handed save.

Try as they might Martinique could simply find no way past a stalwart Haitian defense that simply refused to be broken and in the 92nd minute it took a last minute diving tackle from Haitian captain and Motorola Man of the match Bruny to keep Martinique scoreless amd ensure the Haitian’s go top of the Sedley Joseph group after one days play.

Haiti: Gabard Fenelon, Frantz Gilles, Peter Jermaine, Stephane Guillaume, Fucien Brunel, Eliphene Cadet, Alexandre Boucicaut, Pierre Richard Bruny, Mones Chery, Alain Vubert, Josue Mayard

Martinique: Eddy Heurlie, Patrick Percin, Joan Deluge, Sebastien Lugiery, Gael Germany, Wilfrid Thalien, Jose Goron, Charles Coridon, Franciano Etinon, Steve Gustan, Audrick Linord

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