NYC Haiti exits the playoffs early through a 7-1 loss to Guinea in the quarters

A Guinean player dribbling down the wing as NYC Haiti players Ronald Leandre (near) and Evens Jean (far) watch. Brooklyn Soccer Life Images

Defending International FGSL champions NYC Haiti's season ended prematurely in the quarter-finals as they were shockingly overpowered by Guinea 7-1 on Sunday afternoon at Old Boys and Girls high school.

Haiti defeated the West African side 5-1 the week before in the last round of the regular season. Guinea played that game with only seven players.

Guinea started their scoring riot 11 minutes into the encounter when Khadim Ndiaye capped off a swift counter attack through Haiti's mispositioned defenders with a low shot inside the box past Haitian keeper Frandy Montrevil.

Les Grenadiers' captain Rolin Andre fouled Ndiaye in the box in the 21st minute, granting their opponents a spot kick. Alseny converted the penalty for Guinea the following minute.

NYC Haiti defender Rolin Andre as he fouled Khadim Ndiaye in the box to concede a spot kick. Brooklyn Soccer Life Images

Haiti cut the African team's lead in half two minutes before the half hour mark. Former Ligue Haitienne superstar Kimberly Francois smoothly controlled Evens Jean's ball over the top before before taking a couple of touches--with a Guinean defender chasing him-- to set himself for a low strike that found the left side of the net.

Kimberly Francois netted Haiti's lone goal of the game. Brooklyn Soccer Life Images

The Caribbean side's hope of reaching the semis faded a step away again nine minutes after the restart as Guinea netted a third goal. It was Ndiaye--the scorer of the opener-- who struck again for the tricolor nation. The forward skinned past the two Haitian center backs before hitting the ball past Montrevil.

Guinea scored again three minutes later to go up 4-1 as Karim placed a low shot in the far post after faking and turning on the right side of the 18.

Aladji Jalloh joined Guinea's scoring display 18 minutes inside the second half. Jalloh broke loose from Haiti's back four with an intelligent run and was left one-on-one with keeper Montrevil. Montrevil came off his line but the Guinean confidently steered the ball past him.

One minute later, Alseny intercepted Haiti's right back Stephano's pass toward the heart of the defense before striking a shot in the net from the top of the 18 for his second goal of the game.

Guinea ended their scoring exhibition 30 minutes inside the second period at seven goals. It was center back Malal who scored last for Guinea, tapping the ball in the net from Abdoulaye's square pass in another counter attack past an empty Haitian defense.

Three key notes

1. It happened to Haiti before: NYC Haiti lost to NYC Senegal 7-2 in the quarter-finals of the 2011 Cosmos Copa but went on to winning the tournament the next season.

2. Guinea got aim: Guinea hit eight of their 10 shots on target.

3. L'union fait la force??: NYC Haiti manager Gregory Mervilus noted after the game that the reason behind his side's loss is the division in the Haitian soccer community in New York.

NYC Haiti manager Gregory Mervilus alongside Evens Jean. Brooklyn Soccer Life Images

"When you have too many people who want you to fail, it's hard to put it [the club] together [..] Players playing in Jersey, I don't have control of that player," Mervilus said. "I have players right here in Brooklyn, other [Haitian] clubs say to them 'Aye you can't go play for me'.

He later added: "And then when you see me you're going to shake my hand 'Oh Gregory is a good guy, he's a good guy' and at the end of the day you're going to tell your players not to play for me. Not to play for Haiti. Not for me, not to play for Haiti. So when I get 7-1, what is that? I don't get 7-1, Haiti gets 7-1. You're embarrassing your own country."