The 2026 CONCACAF U-20 Champions League kicked off its group stage matches on July 25, with Haiti’s under-20 national side, known affectionately as the Grenadiers, falling to a dominant 3-0 defeat at the hands of the United States U-20 men’s national team at the Estadio Universitario BUAP in Puebla, Mexico.
Haiti entered the match facing a late roster adjustment, as starting player Medinel Zamor was forced to withdraw from the tournament entirely due to an injury just days before kickoff. Shaun A Brun of the US-based Tacoma Defiance stepped into Zamor’s spot in the starting eleven. Haiti’s full starting lineup featured Carlos Bré of Real Hope FA; captain Arthur Alcimé (Real Hope FA); Stanley Volcin (AS Capoise); Marckidens Tanis (AS Capoise); Miguel Joseph (Exafoot); Ramy Fabilus (Real Hope FA); Clavens Exantus (Violette AC); Franco Célestin (Jamaica’s Mount Pleasant); Emerson Laissé (Mount Pleasant); Brun; and Nikolai Pierre of US club Orlando City. Five second-half substitutions were made by the Haitian coaching staff: J. Charles replaced Fabilus, W. Leconte took over for Pierre, D. Resil came on for Exantus, all in the 67th minute; M. Jean Jules replaced Brun in the 75th minute; and K. Romulus replaced Leconte just two minutes later.
From the opening whistle, the United States controlled the flow of play, holding 69% of total possession and outshooting Haiti 8 to 3 on target. The Americans broke the deadlock in the 38th minute, when Dino Klapija slotted a right-footed shot from the left edge of the Haiti penalty box past the goalkeeper. The goal came off a neatly worked set piece: after a United States corner, Colin Guske headed a looping ball back into the center of the box, setting up Klapija for the easy finish.
The match turned further against Haiti in the 61st minute, when starting defender Stanley Volcin was shown a red card and ejected from the game, leaving the Grenadiers down to 10 men for the final half hour. Seven minutes after the red card, the United States earned a penalty kick, and Ruben Ramos converted the spot kick to double the American lead to 2-0. As Haiti pushed for an equalizer late in stoppage time, the Americans earned a second penalty, which Santi Morales converted in the 89th minute to seal the 3-0 victory and secure all three points for the US in Group A play.
Following the opening match defeat, the Haitian Football Federation released a statement affirming the team’s continued commitment to the tournament, noting: “Despite this result, the team continues its training with the same determination in order to best prepare for its upcoming matches. Each match is a new opportunity to demonstrate the character, discipline, and pride of a team that defends its country’s colors. Our support remains a valuable asset for our players.”
After the first round of group matches, the Group A standings place both the United States and Cuba at the top with three points each, after Cuba also earned a 3-0 opening win over El Salvador. El Salvador and Haiti sit at the bottom of the group with zero points, having each conceded three goals without scoring. The Grenadiers are set to return to play on July 28, when they face Cuba in their second group stage match, before closing out group play against El Salvador on July 31.