CAP-HAÏTIEN – At the 2024 Concacaf Caribbean Cup, both Ouanaminthe Football Club and Real Hope Football Academy took advantage of their opponents’ defensive errors to secure a 1-1 draw in their opening matches on Thursday night, showing promising performances.

Ouanaminthe played his first ever match in the competition, facing Trinidadian side AC Port of Spain at the Estadio Moca 85 in the Dominican Republic. In the match, Shackiel Henry scored Port of Spain’s first goal in the 34th minute with a header from a corner. However, Ouanaminthe equalised in the 54th minute when the Port of Spain goalkeeper misdirected a cross, allowing Frantz Moïse’s shot to be deflected into the net by Joseph “Dewoule” Willinx and the match remained tied for 90 minutes.

Willinx, who has been a prolific goalscorer in recent cup competitions, was named man of the match. His performance was particularly notable after a difficult season in which he was unable to play due to disputes with his former club, the Football Inter Club Association (FICA).

Defensive stability, offensive tackles and room for improvement

In their opening matches, both Haitian teams put in strong defensive displays, with Ouanaminthe particularly known for his energetic tackling. However, their aggressive style of play led to frequent fouls, sometimes in unnecessary situations. James Céné, a key defensive midfielder for Ouanaminthe, had to be substituted in the second half after receiving a yellow card, highlighting the need for cleaner play – a point stressed by Ouanaminthe’s new head coach Roudy Joseph.

Real Hope’s players looked exhausted in the first half and adopted a defensive stance in the second half to protect their 1-0 lead. These factors prevented the attackers from reaching their full potential, despite the team’s usual fast, direct style of play.

Both teams moved the ball well from the defence to the midfield in attack, but struggled with creativity in the final third. The players often opted for individual moves rather than collective play, thus missing passing and scoring opportunities. For example, Ouanaminthes Widjoly Minoche shot wide of the goal in the 27th minute, despite having free teammates.

Although the star players performed well, they were unable to take full advantage of their opportunities. Real Hope’s Rapha Intervil, known for his speed, often preferred short passes rather than attacking defenders directly. Colo Myson, Real Hope’s other star player, was unable to participate in the Caribbean Cup due to administrative reasons.

As for Ouanaminthe, their star player Roobens “Paloulou” Philogène also played well, but he lacked the killer instinct to help his team win. Philogène, known as a goalscorer, played in attacking midfield, as he surprisingly did last season in the Haitian league.

Philogène kicked the ball in all directions of the field to his teammates, which prevented him from getting into the box, where he is best, and in the final minutes of stoppage time he almost put his team ahead with a long-range shot that narrowly missed the goal.

Willinx, another key player for Ouanaminthe, had a relatively quiet game despite scoring the equaliser with a simple tap-in and had a goal disallowed for offside in the second half after a one-time finish.

A look into the future

After their draws, both Haitian teams will be looking to improve their performances as the tournament progresses. Real Hope will play against Jamaican club Cavalier on September 17 at 8pm local time at Sabina Park in Jamaica. The next day, Ouanaminthe will face Dominican club Moca FC at Estadio Moca in the Dominican Republic, also at 8pm.

The upcoming matches will be crucial as both teams look to refine their strategies and capitalize on their promising performances.

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