(Updated July 15)
KANSAS CITY.- Canada versus Haiti is a bit like two talented boxers training in the same gym: Mutual respect, rivalry and a sense that each confrontation could go either way. Every round is contested and no lead is safe.
The teams arrive at their Group B Gold Cup match on Thursday at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas with Haiti on zero points after a tight 1-0 loss to the United States, while Canada claimed not only three points in victory over Martinique, but also rang up a good goal differential, 4-1.
Canada has confidence not only from their opening result, but also due to the fact that the team beat Haiti twice this year already in Concacaf World Cup qualifying action. Yet there may remain some ghosts from the 2019 Gold Cup, where Canada lost to Haiti in the quarterfinal, 3-2, after being up by two goals.
Haiti will compete in the match with a slightly depleted substitutes bench due to some COVID-19 cases. Concacaf will only allow those players who have received consecutive rounds of negative test results to participate in the match.
After receiving six yellow cards versus Martinique, those Canadian players will want to avoid being booked again and suspended for the group stage final versus the U.S. Meanwhile, Jean-Jacques Pierre’s Haiti players will no doubt maintain their aggressive approach.
Despite Canada’s goalfest against Martinique, one of their most prolific goal-scorers from 2019, Lucas Cavallini, has yet to score. Once he gets off the mark, he could produce impressively.
Haiti’s goalkeeper, Brian Sylvestre, could also be a huge factor when the two teams clash. Sylvestre is still in the single digits of earned caps with Haiti, but he has already proven to be an excellent organizer of the defensive backline, as well as a tenacious shot-stopper.
No matter which player ends up making a pivotal moment, there’s no doubt the ongoing battle between the two Concacaf neighbors will continue. Of such things are great rivalries made.
