WASHINGTON – Haiti breathed new life into their Gold Cup campaign with a 2-0 win over Grenada at RFK Stadium on Wednesday night, as goals from Fabrice Noel and James Marcelin carried les Grenadiers past the Spice Boyz in a Group B encounter.
Noel converted from a free kick in the 14th minute. Brunel Fucien whipped an inswinging cross toward a crowd in the penalty area, where the ball appeared to strike the back of Noel and dribbled into the goal.
With 12 minutes left, Haiti found the clincher when Marcelin capitalized on a howling mistake by Grenada captain Anthony Modeste. With a ball sent behind the defense, Modeste looked prime to clear the ball, but amazingly walked over it, leaving Modeste to close unmarked on goal and easily beat goalkeeper Desmond Noel.
The result revived Haiti’s hopes and left Gold Cup debutante Grenada with no points after two games.
Grenadian midfielder Patrick Modeste tested Jean Dominique Zephirin with a well-driven shot toward the upper corner eight minutes after kickoff, but Haiti netminder flung himself left to parry the effort wide.
Haiti was nearly gifted a goal two minutes later when Spice Boyz defender Jason James deflected a cross toward his own net, wrongfooting Noel, but he recovered in time to collect the loose ball at his right post.
Haiti was enjoying superior possession when Marcelin asserted himself in the center of the park and they came close to doubling its advantage in the 28th minute.
Grenada’s Noel couldn’t hold a shot from Raymond Ednerson, knocking the ball toward Haiti’s Noel deep in the penalty area – but defender Anthony Modeste intervened to clear the danger just in time.
Grenada used a quick counterattack to carve out their best chance of the half six minutes before the intermission. Holding midfielder Ricky Charles exposed the Haitian defense with a delicate lofted cross to Delroy Facey at the far post, but the striker looped his shot well over the target from close range.
In the second half, Haiti hunted for a valuable second tally while Grenada looked for the equalizer needed to keep their fading tournament hopes alive. Yet both sides struggled to craft sustained passing sequences as the Spice Boyz resorted to hopeful long balls and Haiti lacked sharpness in the attacking third.
Leonel Saint Preux should have added to Haiti’s lead on a venture deep into the Grenada box in the 58th minute. Floating into ample space near the penalty spot, Saint Preux was set up by strike partner Noel but dribbled his shot well wide of the left post.
RFK Stadium was gradually filling up with blue-clad Honduras fans eager for the second half of the doubleheader against the United States and their noise percolated around the venerable facility as time ticked away on Grenada’s hopes.
Chasing down an angled ball into the Haitian box, Facey got a good look at goal but with the ball on his left foot, he elected to play a centering pass that went begging with no gold jerseys on hand.
Panamanian referee Roberto Moreno’s full-time whistle handed Haiti their first Gold Cup victory since 2002 and gave Jairo Rios’ side renewed hopes for a quarterfinal berth, while Grenada’s second loss of the tournament virtually eliminated them from contention with one match remaining.
