The 2026/2027 CONCACAF Nations League group stage wrapped up its final matchday on October 4, 2026, with a high-stakes second-leg clash between Haiti’s men’s national team, the Grenadiers, and Costa Rica’s Ticos at San Juan’s iconic Ricardo Saprissa Aymá Stadium. Fresh off a 2-0 home defeat to Haiti in the first leg, Costa Rica seized the chance for revenge on their home turf, walking away with a 2-0 win that handed Haiti their first defeat in four group stage matches. However, the loss did not derail Haiti’s campaign, as the Caribbean side held on to second place in Group A of League A and secured a spot in the tournament’s upcoming quarterfinals.
Under the leadership of Spanish head coach David Badia, three key changes were made to the starting eleven that beat Costa Rica in the first leg. Josué Duverger of Germany’s FC Cosmos Koblenz stepped in as goalkeeper, while Duke Lacroix (Colorado Springs Switchbacks, USA) and Jean-Kévin Duverne (Omonia Nicosia, Greece) also earned starting spots. Badia retained his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation for the critical away fixture, with the full starting lineup consisting of: GK Josué Duverger, defender Carlens Arcus (captain), defender Hannes Delcroix, defender Carl-Fred Sainté, winger Fabrice “Fafà” Picault, forward Louicius Deedson, midfielder Duke Lacroix, midfielder Ruben Providence, forward Jean-Jacques Danley, forward Wilson Isidor, and defender Jean-Kévin Duverne. Four second-half substitutions were made to inject fresh energy into the side: J. Bellegarde replaced Sainté, Y. Fortuné replaced Picault, D. Jean replaced Providence, K. Quetant replaced Deedson, and F. Pierrot came on for Isidor late in the match.
From the opening kickoff, Costa Rica’s high pressing and aggressive physicality caught Haiti off guard, and the hosts broke the deadlock just six minutes into the contest. Striker Carlos Mora found space unmarked inside the 18-yard box and fired an unstoppable shot past Duverger to put the Ticos up 1-0. The hosts doubled their advantage 15 minutes later, when Andrey Soto hit a powerful left-footed strike that found the back of the net, putting Costa Rica up 2-0 before halftime. Haiti never recovered from the early setbacks, struggling to string together their usual possession-based passing game and create meaningful scoring chances in the final third. Against a well-drilled Costa Rican side that dominated aerial duels and closed down passing lanes efficiently, the Grenadiers were unable to find gaps to mount a comeback, and the 2-0 score held through the final whistle.
Despite the disappointing performance and result, Haiti’s strong form across the first three group stage matches was enough to secure progression. Under Badia’s direction, the Grenadiers recorded three consecutive wins before this fixture: a 3-2 opening victory over Trinidad & Tobago’s Soca Warriors, the 2-0 first-leg win over Costa Rica, and a dominant 4-1 defeat of the Dominican Republic. Those results left Haiti with 9 points from four matches, tied on points with the Dominican Republic but holding a superior tiebreaker to lock in second place in the five-team group. Group leaders Curaçao finished top of the table with 10 points from three wins and one draw, while Costa Rica finished fourth with 6 points, and Trinidad & Tobago ended at the bottom of the standings with zero points.
Haiti will now advance to the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals, scheduled to take place across the November 9-17, 2026 match window. The tournament’s final phase will kick off in March 2027, with all participating quarterfinal teams also securing qualification to the 2027 CONCACAF Gold Cup. For Haiti, the quarterfinal berth marks a successful group stage campaign, and the side will now turn its focus to preparing for the next round as it chases a spot in the tournament final.