Haiti pleases home crowd in 4-0 victory over New Zealand

Haiti’s 4-0 win over New Zealand gave home fans plenty to cheer, as Haiti delivered a dominant, confident performance marked by attacking flair, control, and a statement result.

Haiti vs New Zealand match action as Haiti celebrates during a 4-0 home victory — Haiti celebrates in front of its home crowd after a commanding 4-0 win over New Zealand.

Haiti Stuns Home Crowd with Dominant 4-0 Victory Over New Zealand in Fort Lauderdale

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — Haiti’s Men’s National Team opened its FIFA World Cup warm-up schedule in emphatic fashion, rolling past New Zealand 4-0 in a star-studded international friendly that felt far more like a home match than a road game.

Goals from Ruben Providence, Lenny Joseph, Frantzdy Pierrot, and Markhus Lacroix powered the convincing win in front of more than 16,000 supporters — the majority from South Florida’s Haitian community — who turned the stadium into a sea of red and blue from the opening whistle.

Weather Delay, Then Dominant Football

The match got off to a delayed start after rain and lightning forced a 30-minute hold before play could begin. Once the all-clear came, Haiti wasted no time taking control.

Ruben Providence broke the deadlock in the 12th minute, sending the crowd into an immediate frenzy. The Haitians kept pressing from there, eventually building a commanding four-goal margin by the final whistle.

How the Goals Went In

Haiti’s scoring was spread across both halves and featured a stunning finish to close out the night:

Ruben Providence — 12th minute, opened the scoring and set the tone
Lenny Joseph — early in the second half, doubling the lead
Frantzdy Pierrot — after the hour mark, making it three
Markhus Lacroix — 87th minute, a powerful long-range strike that sealed the win and sent the crowd into full celebration

More Than a Warm-Up Match

For Haiti, this international friendly carried far deeper meaning than a routine pre-tournament tune-up. The team is making its first World Cup appearance in 52 years and has been unable to host home World Cup qualifiers due to ongoing violence in Haiti.

Playing in front of thousands of Haitian fans in Fort Lauderdale offered the national team something rare and deeply personal — a taste of home.

“It was a pleasure to play at home today,” said Haiti head coach Gabriel Calderón Pellegrino. “When you are a professional footballer, it is about sharing emotions with the fans and your teammates.”

Pellegrino made clear the result was just one part of the night’s purpose. He used the match to assess depth across his roster and evaluate how players responded under competitive pressure ahead of a tough World Cup group.

“The takeaway above all for me is the satisfaction of seeing my players finally enjoy sharing emotions with the public,” he said. “I think they well deserve it.”

Haiti’s Road Ahead

Haiti opens World Cup group play against Scotland at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts. After Friday’s performance, the team heads into that match with momentum, confidence, and the memory of a crowd that made thousands of miles feel like nothing at all.

Players celebrated together on the pitch after the final whistle, spraying water bottles and soaking in the support of fans who had given them exactly what they needed.

New Zealand Takes a Harsh Lesson

New Zealand struggled to cope with Haiti’s speed and directness throughout the match. The All Whites managed stretches of possession but rarely threatened in the final third, repeatedly getting exposed on the counterattack and punished for defensive errors.

New Zealand head coach Darren Bazeley gave full credit to the opposition.

“They were very clinical, very ruthless in those moments,” Bazeley said. “Very athletic on the counterattack, very skillful at times. We lacked quality when it mattered.”

He described the 4-0 result — the team’s heaviest defeat in nearly a decade — as a “harsh lesson” as New Zealand continues its own World Cup preparations, including an upcoming match against England.

Match Summary
Haiti 4, New Zealand 0
Venue: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Goals: Providence (12′), Joseph (2H), Pierrot (60+’), Lacroix (87′)
Type: International Friendly — FIFA World Cup Warm-Up

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