Mount Pleasant Academy’s Haitian Duo of Emerson Laissé and Franco Celestin were both on the scoresheet for their country in a masterful 5-0 win over St Vincent and the Grenadines in Group E of The 2025 Concacaf U-17 Men’s Qualifiers at Estadio Cementos Progreso in Guatemala City, Guatemala on Tuesday night.

It didn’t take long for the Haitians, who are seeking a third trip to a FIFA U-17 World Cup, to get going as the prolific Emerson Laissé, who has been a standout at Mount Pleasant Academy, opened the scoring after just 12 minutes. The silky smooth, slender-bodied teen danced his way around three defenders following a build-up on the left-hand side of the Haitian’s attack before tucking the ball past the oncoming goalkeeper to make it 1-0.

Nikolai Pierre would extend the lead for the Haitians when he netted in the 20th minute to make the game 2-0. And Pierre was done just yet, making it 3-0 just before half-time when he got his second in the 42nd minute.
Immediately following the resumption St Vincent & the Grenadines found themselves further behind as Theo Lacombe continued the scoring in the 46th minute with a header inside the penalty area.

Franco Celestin

With victory already secured Franco Celestin, who has already scored twice in the Jamaica Premier League for Mount Pleasant FA,  added the finishing touches with a superb strike from just outside the penalty box.
As his MPA schoolmate Jahmarie Nolan did for Jamaica against St. Lucia a day earlier, Celestin left the goalkeeper with no chance as he made it 5-0 in the 78th minute.

Another Mount Pleasant Academy student Miguel Joseph, while not getting on the scoresheet, was magnificent in the middle of the park for the Haitians who are hunting a trip back to the Under17 World Cup for the first time since 2019.

The margin of victory also means Haiti sit atop Group ‘E’ on goal difference after hosts Guatemala won 2-1 against Antigua and Barbuda. The Mount Pleasant trio will next be in action on Thursday when they take on Antigua and
Barbuda.