HAITI's Selection SCORE card IN COPA LATINA 1999 soccer championship.
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Haitian team in Copa Latina Soccer Championship 1999
Sunday, 1/30/99 Haiti Selection -VS- Chili Universidad Catolica (Score:2-1, Haiti won)
Sunday, 2/7/99 Haiti Selection -VS- Columbia Impel-America Cafeteros (Score: 3-1, Haiti won)
Quarter Final, Sunday 2/14/99 Haiti Selection -VS- Uruguay Soccer Club. (Score: 1-1 at the end of the second half regular time. The game went into penalty kicks, where the last penalty goal of number 8 forward, Sauveur Valcourt against Uruguay Super goal Keeper, Alvaro Peralta decided the winner by a score of 5-4, Haiti won)
Haitian and Uruguayan team, flanked by the ever suited Haitian selection trainer, Nono Jean Baptiste, the two American referees, the Haitian team captain, the Uruguayan team captain, the Haitian striker,Guy-Sauveur Valcourt, the Haitian goal keeper, Frantz Felisma etc.
Haitian and Uruguayan team entering the Ted Hendricks stadium soccer/football field.
Haitian and Uruguayan teams in action.
Semi final, Friday 2/19/99 @7pm Haiti Selection -VS- U.S.A. Soccer Locker (Score 1-1 at the end of the second half regular time, Haiti tied the game within a few minutes before the upset that some negative unfaithf uls were anticipating, who were quieted when Sauveur took control of the game with a direct fault kick that went into the net of the so far impecable goal keeper of Socker Locker, Juan Restrepo. Beforehand, here and there you could hear some ladies urgin g and screaming for a goal "Sauveur sauve nou, bay yon gol pou Ayiti, nap pedu!" "Sauveur save us, score a goal for Haiti, we are going to loose!", indeed it took a while but they got their wish. The game went into the first 15 minutes overtime, the Hait ian team began to look like its former self, i.e. they began to play better, but the score was still 1-1 after some tactical change of one key player in the defense. During the second 15 minutes overtime after some uninterupted attacks from the Haitian t eam, Dodo scored the winning goal that would send the crowd into jubilation. It was party time with drums, chachas, Haitian flags and dances in the stadium, handshaking,hand holding and embraces, truly a real show of brotherhoods and siterhoods between Haitian of all classes, not to forget the Latinos (Spaniards) who also joined in the celebration "Haiti number one" "Haiti numero uno" thy shouted with joy. With the score 2-1 Haiti won.
The hand of a winner already in the air predicting the Champiomship winner, even before the kickoff of the Haiti-Equador final Copa Latina game of 1999.
CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL, Sunday 2/21/99: Haiti Selection -VS- Seleccion Equador (Score 2-0). On a cool Sunday evening in front of an overfilled stadium (une vraie maree humaine), at the ever lasting sounds of Haitian drums beat and improvised roots (rara) singers, the Haitian team took control of the game while displaying the players magnificent soccer handling skills and acrobatic abilities.I have not seen since Pele time, so many bicycle kicks in a game.The answer is clear to the question: "Can Haiti regain its rightful place in world competition?. As it was demonstrated in this small case scenario, Haitian soccer p layers have the skills and the talent to compete in world class competition. The important question now is: "Where do we go from here with all these talents?". Equador played well but they were no match for Haiti, although they had one player, number 16 dedicated to cover our number 8, Sauveur Valcourt to make sure he did not score. Truly he did not score , but he led the play with the pass that made it possible for one of his team mate, Ernso Lorenzo to score and paved the way for the Haitian team victory early in the game (Ernso Lorenzo, a member of Haiti's national team traveled recently from Haiti for the sole purpose of helping his Haitian team mate in diaspora win Copa Latina, he certainly did, for he scored the two goals to assure the Haitian victory in this final). The more than 90% Haitian crowd estimated at over eight thousand souls was overjoyed. By a score of 2 to 0 Haiti won the Championship of Copa Latina 1999.
Guy-Sauveur Valcourt leading the way all the way to its Haitian team Victory in Copa Latina.
Haitian improvised RaRa band in musical Action during Haiti-Equador game
Haitian drumer warming up with its drum while the teams warms up on the soccer field during the windy and cold Championship game between Haiti and Equador.
Haitian fans proudly displaying their Haitian colors at Copa Latina 1999.
Noe Dorestant at Ted Hendricks stadium during Copa Latina 1999.
Note: All pictures were photographed and provided by Noe Dorestant as a token of his civic contribution to help promote Haitian soccer on the Internet. If you copy and/or plan to reuse any of these pictures. PS give credit to the originator. All rights reserved 1999. Web page designed by Noe Dorestant.
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