Baku, Azerbaijan – October 27, 2026: The Haitian men’s U-15 national football team, nicknamed the Grenadiers, delivered a commanding 4-0 shutout victory over host nation Azerbaijan on October 26 at Baku’s Hovsan Sports Complex, locking in their spot in the knockout Round of 16 at the first-ever edition of the FIFA U-15 World Cup Festival. Entering the final Group AF group stage fixture on the heels of three consecutive wins against East Timor, Israel, and Andorra, the young Haitian squad faced a hostile home crowd that jeered their every possession, but the visitors leaned into their signature physical intensity and rapid transition play on the compact pitch to overwhelm Azerbaijan’s Odlar Yurdu defensive line from the opening whistle. Forward John Laroque of Les Cayes FC etched his name into tournament history with a blistering 16-minute hat-trick, netting goals in the 5th, 7th, and 16th minutes to put Haiti up 3-0 before Hanelson Antoine’s aggressive pressing forced an Azerbaijan own goal in the 23rd minute to extend the lead to 4-0. The Haitian backline held firm for the full 90 minutes to secure the clean sheet, capping a group stage run that saw the side amass 12 total points from 4 wins and a single opening-match 1-3 loss to group-topping Australia. Across 5 group matches, Haiti’s attack notched 17 total goals while conceding just 6, finishing second in the 6-team Group AF standings behind Australia, who posted a perfect 5-0 record with 15 points. The 14-player Haitian roster features 12 domestic talents from top Haitian youth academies and clubs, plus two players representing U.S. Major League Soccer youth sides Charlotte FC and Orlando City. Managed by head coach Raúl Valentín González Triana, the Grenadiers will next face Croatia in the Round of 16 knockout fixture scheduled for Wednesday, October 28.