18900: (Hermantin)SunSentinel-Haiti too powerful for Turks and Caicos (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Haiti too powerful for Turks and Caicos

By Jeff Rusnak
Special correspondent
Posted February 19 2004

Miami· Haiti's national soccer team wanted to use Wednesday's CONCACAF 2006
World Cup qualifier against the Turks and Caicos Islands to bring a measure
of relief to a nation spiraling into chaos and rebellion.

While nothing that happened in the Orange Bowl will change the course of
Haiti's future, a resounding 5-0 rout of the Turks will at least provide
some good news.

Before a pro-Haiti crowd of about 5,000, national team veteran Johnny
Descollines scored three goals, all within a seven-minute span on both sides
of halftime. Peguero Jean-Philippe and Watson Corriolan scored the first and
last goals, respectively, while winger Roosevelt Desir had two assists.

The decisive victory virtually assures Haiti of advancing to the second
round of CONCACAF qualifying against Jamaica in June. The second leg against
the Turks will be played at 8 p.m. Saturday at Ted Hendricks Stadium in
Hialeah.

The result was never in doubt as the Haitians scored early and never eased
up on a Turks and Caicos side that failed to put a shot on goal.

"We're extremely happy that the people in Haiti have something to
celebrate," Haiti coach Fernando Clavijo said. "Any happiness we can bring
is welcome. I'm extremely proud of this group. They are true professionals.
They concentrated through all the problems and came out tonight and gave a
good performance."

Haiti will never be confused with a world soccer power, but against TCI it
appeared virtually Brazilian. The Turks and Caicos are ranked next to last
in FIFA's 204-team rankings and it's likely to stay there after Wednesday's
result.

The crowd was almost entirely Haitian though a handful of TCI fans
encouraged the team as it waited in the tunnel to go on to the field.

"What you want after the game?" said one man to a player, tipping his hand
as if holding a pint of beer.

James Poston, the British representative on the island, threw in for the
match. His report back to the crown will include few, if any, highlights.

The Turks marched out wearing windbreakers and they never did warm up on a
cold, un-tropical night. Haiti outraced their mostly British-born
counterparts from the kickoff, creating a steady stream of scoring chances
on an overmatched defense.

Jean-Philippe started the avalanche of goals with a leaping header in the
seventh minute off Jemps Dorcelus' cross.

Descollines missed an open-net in the 18th minute and hit the crossbar in
the 40th before finally finding his range with two goals just before
halftime to make it 3-0.

Turks and Caicos lost 8-0 and 6-0 to St. Kitts and Nevis in 2000 in its only
experience with World Cup qualifying. It trailed 2-0 at the half in those
games before caving completely.

Wednesday's match followed a similar pattern, with Descollines making it 4-0
on a header from 7 yards in the 50th minute. Corriolan scored on a penalty
kick in the 71st minute for the final margin.






Copyright © 2004, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

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