Haiti shatters Mexican hopes on a hot and stormy evening in Monterrey

July 8 – Haiti scored three goals against Mexico to set up a winner-takes-all final group clash with Jamaica for automatic qualification for the 2023 World Cup.

It was an exciting game but a miserable night for a Mexican side that promised so much but ended up going goalless in two games.

The sun may have set at kickoff, but the heat was high and the temperature was about to rise with two teams that weren't afraid to get physical and both needed a victory to remain in contention for the World Cup.

Mexican coach Monica Vergara made four changes to the starting XI which lost by one goal to Jamaica while Haitian coach Nicolas Delphine remained confident in his outfield which started in the 3- 0 against the United States, changing only their goalkeeper, bringing in Nahomie Ambroise.

Mexico started to come back into the game. In the 37th minute and after a pressing, Sanchez was knocked down at the edge of the area. Bernal fired into the wall and Sanchez hit the rebound wide - it was wasteful and the closest Mexico had been to mounting a real threat on Haiti's goal.

Mexico ended the half with possession but despite their warm-up play and use of the wings, their goal threats lacked conviction.

Vergara changed his line-up at half-time, bringing in Alicia Cervantes as centre-forward with

Katty Martinez goes a little lower. Martinez started to find more space and had a shot from outside the box easily collected by Ambroise before scooping another over the bar. Mexico closed in but struggled to find that finishing touch in front of goal as scrum after scrum was blocked or cleared by the Haitians.

  Sports   Jul 9, 2022   0   76  Add to Reading List