In a commanding Group A display at Jamaica’s Kingston-based Sabina Park on September 27, 2026, Haiti’s men’s national football team, nicknamed the Grenadiers, earned their second consecutive victory in the 2026 CONCACAF Nations League group stage with a 2-0 defeat of Costa Rica’s Ticos, boosting their qualification hopes for the 2027 Gold Cup.
Under the guidance of Spanish head coach David Badia, who took charge of the side earlier this year, the Grenadiers got off to a blistering start that set the tone for the entire match. Badia made targeted adjustments to his starting lineup ahead of the fixture, welcoming back key midfielders Ruben Providence and Jean Ricner Bellegarde, who had missed previous selections, while defender Hannes Delcroix remained sidelined with an injury. The Spanish tactician stuck to his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, fielding a mixed squad of domestic and European-based talent that included goalkeeper Alexandre Pierre of France’s FC Sochaux, Wolverhampton winger Jean Ricner Bellegarde, and Sunderland goalkeeper Wilson Isidor.
It only took nine minutes for the Grenadiers to break the deadlock: Bellegarde produced a clinical right-footed strike that slipped past Costa Rica’s defensive line and beat the opposing keeper, putting Haiti up 1-0 early. The match’s second goal came in the 39th minute, when Costa Rica captain Francisco Calvo converted an own goal under pressure from Haiti’s attacking line, extending the lead to 2-0 and securing all three points for the Caribbean side.
Badia made a series of strategic substitutions through the second half to maintain his side’s intensity and defensive solidity: Yvenel Fortuné replaced Fafà Picault, and Dany Jean came on for Louicius Deedson both in the 54th minute, Francois Dulysse took over for Carl-Fred Sainté in the 64th, while both Jean Duverne for Garven Metusala and Duvan Lacroix for Bellegarde came on in the 86th minute to see out the win. The side’s defensive organization, led by a standout performance from goalkeeper Alexandre Pierre, kept Costa Rica from registering a single goal the full 90 minutes, with substitutes holding firm against late pressure from the Ticos.
The result leaves Haiti level on six points from two matches alongside Curaçao and the Dominican Republic in the tightly contested Group A of League A. Curaçao currently holds the top spot on goal difference with a +6 goal differential, followed by Haiti at +3 and the Dominican Republic at +2. Trinidad and Tobago and Costa Rica anchor the standings at zero points, both still searching for their first win of the group stage.
Looking ahead, Haiti will face back-to-back away fixtures in the coming week that will shape their group stage fate. On October 1, the Grenadiers will travel to Santo Domingo to face the Dominican Republic at Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez, kicking off at 8:00 PM local Haiti time. Four days later, on October 4, they will face Costa Rica in the second leg of their matchup at Costa Rica’s Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá in San Juan de Tíbás, with kickoff scheduled for 6:00 PM Haiti time. The top teams from the group stage will advance to the quarter-finals in November 2026, with the final tournament phase set to kick off in March 2027, and a spot in the 2027 CONCACAF Gold Cup on the line for the highest finishing sides.
The back-to-back opening wins mark a major breakthrough for Haiti, proving that their recent growth on the international stage is no fluke. What many dismissed as a lucky run has quickly transformed into a disciplined, passionate campaign built on solid tactical organization and clinical finishing, with the Grenadiers emerging as a surprise contender to advance deep in this year’s Nations League.