NYC Haiti draws with Grenada 2-2 in last season's final rematch

Game report

Ronald Leandre standing next to Grenada's number 11. Brooklyn Soccer Life Images

Yvener Guerrier's opener and Gregory Clena's penalty kick weren't enough for a win as NYC Haiti tied with Grenada 2-2 on Sunday evening at Old Boys and Girls High School.

This game was a rematch of last year's final, which Haiti won 1-0 to lift the International FGSL trophy.

Guerrier started the game's four-goal scoring display in the 13th minute. Geraldy Joseph found an unmarked Guerrier in the box with a neat pass. The veteran took full advantage of Grenada's slip up, steering a low shot in the center of the net.

Guerrier came close to returning Joseph the favor by providing him a goal too but unfortunately the midfielder couldn't beat the opposing keeper.

Guerrier's pass to Joseph was an inch perfect through ball in the box. Joseph hit a low shot toward the goal, which Grenada's keeper dove at to keep his side down a goal.

The Spice Boyz equalized three minutes inside the second half with a delightful shot from the top of the box.

Joseph was brought down in the box after collecting a pass from Mimi in the 65th minute. Although the former Ligue Haitienne player was issued a yellow card for diving in the first half, the referee pointed at the spot for a penalty.

Gregory Clena converted the PK as he hit the ball high to the right. The keeper guessed the right way but was too slow to the ball.

Gregory Clena converted a penalty kick that give NYC Haiti a 2-1 lead. Brooklyn Soccer Life Images

Les Grenadiers almost extended their lead to two when Joseph hit the bottom right post with a shot in the box from another sublime through ball from Guerrier.

The International FGSL champions paid later for not going up by two goals. Mimi misheaded a defensive header backward to the six-yard box. A Grenada player read the trajectory of the ball and headed it to the upper left corner of the net. Keeper Frandy Montrevil, who was standing in front of the Grenadian, jumped with his hands to sky but wasn't able to get a hand on the ball.

Player's voice: Yvener Guerrier (1 goal)

Yvener Guerrier's goal was his first one of the season. The former Haiti international striker noted that this goal will boost his confidence going forward.

"Unfortunately it's my first goal of the season because I missed some in the previous games," Guerrier said, "I think it will help me a lot and give me more morale in the next rounds."

NYC Haiti forward Yvener Guerrier. Brooklyn Soccer Life Images

The 29-year-old also expressed that the game was entertaining but thinks that Haiti dropped their intensity in the second half.

"I think it was a great game," he said. "We were more focused in the first half and were hiding in the second half. Grenada is a good team like us, I think it was a really good game. I think we both qualified [for the playoffs]. We're going to keep working so we can have a better team and so we can have a better figure if we meet them [Grenada] again."

Guerrier mentioned that Grenada came for the win.

"I think they came to play, they came to play," he said, "just like we came to play." Because that's how soccer is, any team can be crowned champions and when you're on the field that means you have to come to play. I think they came to play a serious game against us and we also showed that we have a lot of capabilities."

The striker shared that NYC Haiti will recover from their careless error that caused the last goal.

"I think it's soccer, in soccer we have to stay focused for 90 minutes," Guerrier said. "Two minutes before the game we got scored on, that's not really going to bother us because we're going to revitalize the team, talk to each other. We're going to try not to let this happen again."

Three key notes

Second time getting outshot this season: Grenada is the second team that took more shots than Haiti in a game against them this season-- in seven games-- outshooting them 10-4. Jamaica was the first team that oushot Les Grenadiers.

Joseph shines on his debut with NYC Haiti: Geraldy Joseph assisted a goal and drew a penalty kick in his first game with Haiti. Guerrier mentioned that Joseph will be essential in the team.

"I think Geraldy is a good player," the striker said. "He distributed the ball really good. As a forward when you have a player playing like this it's going to be easier to get on goal. Then you, you have to finish."

Fourth straight game with two cards: this match marked the Haitian diasporas' fourth consecutive game with two bookings.