SLOAN Privat scored three goals and French Guiana earned their first-ever CONCACAF Gold Cup berth by rallying to post a 5-2 win over hosts Haiti in a Scotiabank CFU Men’s Caribbean Cup on Wednesday at the Stade Sylvio Cator.The third-round result ensured the French Guianese (2W-0D-0L, 6 points) a first-place finish in Group 2, while Haiti (0-0-1, 0) will have to beat St Kitts & Nevis (0-0-1, 0) tomorrow to have any hopes of booking a third straight trip to the biennial CONCACAF event.
It was a stunning reversal for the Haitians, who jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute, when Mechak Jerome converted a penalty kick after Cedric Fabien fouled Wilde-Donald Guerrier in the box.
Duckens Nazon doubled the advantage in the 27th minute off a feed from Under-20 standout Roberto Louima.
Seven minutes before halftime, Privat halved the deficit with his first goal and set the stage for French Guiana’s second-half offensive outburst.
The Guingamp forward gave the visitors a lead they didn’t relinquish, levelling the score at 2, in the 58th minute and converting from the penalty spot six minutes later. Rhudy Evens (67th) and Ludovic Ball (90th+1) completed the scoreline as French Guiana extended their winning streak in the competition to three games.
Curacao and Martinique previously secured 2017 Gold Cup places, while the Caribbean’s last direct berth will be decided tomorrow with the winner of Jamaica-Suriname game progressing from Group 1.
The top three second-place sides will contest a round-robin playoff to determine who will square off against Central America’s fifth-place squad for the last Gold Cup spot. Trinidad & Tobago are already guaranteed to be among that trio. (Sportsmax.com)