US U-20s vs. Haiti match preview: Young Yanks face early elimination match

The 2017 CONCACAF U-20 Championship moves on to the second of three qualifying group matches with the young Yanks facing Haiti and Panama facing St Kitts & Nevis on Tuesday. Haiti easily put away the very weak St Kitts & Nevis team in their first match with a 5-1 scoreline and a goal differential of +4. The US team meanwhile struggled mightily on the offensive side dropping a 1-0 match to Panama despite being a man up for nearly 70 minutes and outshooting them 16 to 5.

A victory by both Panama and Haiti on Tuesday would leave the United States and St. Kitts & Nevis eliminated from the tournament despite the scheduled match between those two still remaining on Friday. Even a draw against Haiti would leave the US is a deep hole with the need for Panama to win over Haiti on Friday and the young Yanks to overcome a large goal differential.

Despite turmoil over player reimbursement and travel cost, the young Haitians came to play in their first match with five different players scoring goals and nearly complete domination of play and possession. Tempered with the fact that St. Kitts & Nevis is clearly outmatched in this tournament and probably on the level of a good american collegiate team, Haiti did all that was needed to put themselves on the path of qualification to the 2017 U-20 World Cup by completing 91% of their passes and possessing the ball for 65% of the match.

For the US to come out of this match with a victory they need to repeat their efficient defensive play and maintain the large differential in number of shoots but improve on the large number which were off target (9). They will also need to improve on their possession numbers (43%) and successful passes (70%) or at least bring Haiti down to their numbers. In short, the young Yanks need to find something that RSL fans can relate too, some one that can put the ball into the back of the net early in the game and repeatedly from then on.

Here is Haiti’s roster for those who might what to follow the action on Saturday.

Goalkeepers

1 Isaac Rouaud (started against St. Kitts & Nevis)

12 Josué Duverger

Defenders

6 Brian Chevreuil (started and scored against St. Kitts & Nevis)

2 Ulysse Denso

5 Emerson Georges (started against St. Kitts & Nevis)

3 Odilon Jerome (started against St. Kitts & Nevis)

17 Wilmond Oracius

13 Fardyson Pierre (started against St. Kitts & Nevis)

20 Richelor Sprangers (substitute against St. Kitts & Nevis)

Midfielders

15 Alessandro Campoy (started and scored against St. Kitts & Nevis)

11 Kenley Dede (started against St. Kitts & Nevis)

18 Clerveau Dutherson

16 Abraham Duverger

19 Stevenson Guillaume

14 Ivenet Noel (started against St. Kitts & Nevis)

Attackers

9 Ronaldo Damus (substitute and scored against St. Kitts & Nevis)

8 Jonel Desire (started and scored against St. Kitts & Nevis)

10 Roberto Badgio Louima (started against St. Kitts & Nevis)

7 Jimmy Shammar Sanon (started and scored against St. Kitts & Nevis)

13 Wendy ST Felix