Haiti 2 Bermuda 1
Bermuda’s hopes of a perfect start in their inaugural Concacaf Gold Cup campaign were dashed by a second-half revival by Haiti at the Estadio Nacional today.
Kyle Lightbourne’s side looked well set at half-time, having dominated the first period in which they missed a hatful of chances, before taking the lead when captain Dante Leverock headed home in the second minute of first-half stoppage time.

It was a tale of two halves, however, with the introduction of Derrick Etienne completely changing the complexion of the opening group B game.
It was from an Etienne free kick from which Haiti levelled in the 54th minute, Frantzdy Pierrot heading past Dale Eve, the Bermuda goalkeeper.
The New York Red Bulls winger then created the second in the 66th minute with a cross for Duckens Nazon, who was denied by Eve, but the ball dropped to Pierrot, who made no mistake to score his side’s second.
Bermuda made a confident-enough start, with Reggie Lambe exchanging passes with Zeiko Lewis in the middle of the park before hitting a diagonal pass for the overlapping Donte Brangman.
The right back raced to the byline before delivering a delightful cross that was headed behind by the Haiti defence for the first corner of the game.
Osagi Bascome’s ensuing flag kick was only partially cleared, the ball falling invitingly for Reggie Lambe, who mistakenly took a touch instead of shooting first time and found himself crowded out by the Haitian defence.

Hearts were in mouths moments later when Haiti launched their first attack, Duckens Nazon squaring for his strike partner, Pierrot, who should have done far better when bearing down on goal, firing his shot wildly over the bar.
At the other end, Lejuan Simmons played a superb slide-rule pass for the onrushing Zeiko Lewis, who found himself one-on-one with experienced goalkeeper Jhony Placide. Lewis’s strike always lacked the required conviction, with Placide reacting quickly to smoother the winger’s effort.
Bermuda were in the ascendancy and crafted another opening when Simmons found himself on sight on goal but was denied by Placide from an acute angle, the former Oldham Athletic man tipping the ball over the bar.
Haiti were forced to make their first substitution in the tenth minute when the injured Mechack Jerome was replaced by fellow defender Jems Geffrard.
With Haiti looking strangely lethargic, Bermuda went close twice in quick succession, Lewis lashing a first-time shot wide from the left-hand side of box, while Nahki Wells created space for himself in the box before slicing a left-footed shot wildly wide.
Bermuda were moving the ball with purpose and precision, and should have been leading had it not been for their careless finishing. Lewis, again, was the chief culprit, the diminutive wide man linking up well with left back Calon Minors before executing an audacious piece of skill to beat his marker, But he could only squirt his left-footed shot into the side-netting.
Eve had been a virtual spectator in the Bermuda goal for much of a largely one-sided half, but was called into action in the 40th minute, tipping an overhead kick by Pierrot over the bar.
Aside from Pierrot’s glaring miss early on, Bermuda had thoroughly dominated, showing absolutely no signs of stage fright, and finally got their just rewards when Leverock headed home an inswinging corner from Bascome on the stroke of half-time.
Marc Callot, the Haiti coach, responded to his side trailing by making his second substation, bringing on Etienne for Herold Charles at the start of the second half.
Bermuda survived an early scare when Brangman lost possession in a dangerous position. The loose ball was picked up by Etienne, who played the ball into Pierrot, whose initial shot was blocked by the leg of Eve before the ball was recovered by Willie Clemons, sliding in to avert the danger.
Whatever words Callot exchanged with his players at half-time seemed to have had the desired effect, as Haiti started the second half with greater vigour and intent.
In the 54th minute they drew level when Pierrot rose highest to head Etienne’s free kick past the stranded Eve.

Lightbourne responded by switching Simmons with Justin Donawa in 58th minute and then, after Etienne had cut across the edge of the box and fired wide, brought on Milan Butterfield for Lambe.
The introduction of Etienne had swung the possession pendulum in Haiti’s favour, with Bermuda’s backline looking all at sea, struggling to cope with his pace down the left.
Eve made another save with his feet to deny the substitute winger, who then turned provider, squaring for Duckens Nazon, whose shot was blocked by the Bermuda goalkeeper. However, the ball fell into Pierrot’s path and the Belgian-based striker forced the ball into the net in the 66th minute.
Such was Etienne’s impact, it begged the question as to why the 22-year-old had not started the game.
In an attempt to drag Bermuda back into a game they had controlled in the first half, Lightbourne made his final substitution, bringing on striker Jonte Smith for midfielder Bascome in 76th minute.
Haiti were running riot and it was that man Etienne who almost scored his side’s third when he wriggled through before being denied by the impressive Eve.
Bermuda now have four days until they face group favourites Costa Rica in Frisco, Texas, on Thursday in their second group game.

SCORERS
Haiti: Pierrot 54, 66
Bermuda Leverock 45+2

TEAMS

Haiti (4-4-2): J Placide — C Arcus, R Ade, M Jerome (sub: J Geffrard, 14min), W Guerrier — B Alceus, Z Herivaux, C Herold (sub: D Etienne, 46), S Sabat — D Nazon (sub: J Desire, 87), F Pierrot, D Nazon. Substitutes not used: A Alexis, H Bazile, J Duverger, B Bissainthe, M Cantave, A Jean-Baptiste, D Clerveaux, A Christian, I Simon. Booked: Guerrier.

Bermuda (4-2-3-1): D Eve — D Brangman, D Leverock, J Bather, C Minors — O Bascome (sub: J Smith, 76), W Clemons — L Simmons (sub: J Donawa, 58), R Lambe (sub: M Butterfield, 62), Z Lewis — N Wells. Substitutes not used: C Basden, R Lee, J Harvey, J Hill, C Robinson, T Ming, L Evans, M Warren, Q Hunt. Booked: Donawa.

Referee: D Parchment (Jamaica).