Haiti kicked off the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup Prelims with a commanding 6-1 victory over Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on Friday at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Haiti were in control from the start and nearly broke the deadlock in the 21st minute, but Saint Vincent and The Grenadines GK Nigell Charles made a diving save to his right to deny Carnejy Antoine.
The 1-0 breakthrough would come soon enough, though, with Duckens Nazon stroking home a penalty in the 26th minute after Derrick Etienne Jr. was brought down in the area.
The first goal loosened up the Haitian attack and Frantzdy Pierrot doubled the advantage to 2-0 in the 33rd minute with a strong header off a deflection from the Vincy Heat defense.
The Haitian attack kept coming in waves and another penalty call saw Etienne Jr. convert a spot-kick in the 37th to extend the lead to 3-0.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines did not get their heads down and Kyle Edwards was able to get on the end of a free-kick and touch past Haiti GK Josue Duverger before slotting into the net to cut the deficit to 3-1 in the 42nd minute. Edwards’ goal was the first-ever for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in three games at the Gold Cup.
Some individual magic from Nazon in the 59th yielded the fourth goal for Haiti, as the veteran forward gathered a pass, made a move to elude a defender, and fired in to make it 4-1 to Haiti. It was Nazon´s sixth goal in 10 Gold Cup games.
Haiti were keen to not extend Saint Vincent and the Grenadines a lifeline and continued to pressure, rounding out the 6-1 triumph via an own goal in the 72nd and an Antoine finish in the 90th.