With the United States once again mixing up the lineup, the team needed a late goal to salvage a draw with Haiti in Foxborough, Mass.
"I think we learned a good lesson," US coach Bob Bradley said. "We scored an early goal, which is always good, but it came so early that we hadn’t really found a rhythm in the game yet. As a result, after that we were still trying to find that rhythm. They were able to take some plays and cause some trouble. We talked at halftime about regaining control, and obviously started out the second half doing just the opposite. We learned some lessons that are important; nonetheless, it was a good first round.”
Davy Arnaud put the US up in the 6th minute, but Haiti answered back through Vaniel Sirin a minute into the second-half. Haiti went a goal up two minutes later, when Mones Chery scored in the 48th. Already with an assist on the first goal, Stuart Holden scored in the 91st minute to split the points and win Group B.
"We kept knocking on the door," Holden said. "The chance fell to me in the last minute, and at that point you just want to strike it as well as you can and keep it on target so if it doesn’t go in it gives someone else a chance. Luckily enough, I hit it well enough that it went in the back of the net. It was a great feeling, but I was still hoping that we would have a couple extra minutes to try and get one more goal.”
The United States are now unbeaten in 25 straight Gold Cup games, with tonight's result only their second tie. The US hasn't lost to a CONCACAF team on US soil in 56 games. They await the results of Group C on Sunday to determine their Quarterfinal opponent. Honduras finished second in Group B and will play Canada. Haiti also advances from third-place to face the Group C winner.
-- GAME REPORT --
Match: United States vs. Haiti
Date: July 11, 2009
Competition: CONCACAF Gold Cup – Group Stage
Venue: Gillette Stadium – Foxborough, Mass
Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
Attendance: 24,137
Weather: 70 degrees, sunny
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 1 1 2
HON 0 2 2
USA – Davy Arnaud (Stuart Holden) 6th minute
HAI – Vaniel Sirin (Leonel Saint-Preux) 46
HAI – Mones Chery 48
USA – Stuart Holden 91+
Lineups:
USA: 18-Luis Robles; 21-Brad Evans, 12-Jimmy Conrad (capt.), 14-Michael Parkhurst, 6-Jay Heaps; 20-Santino Quaranta (5-Kyle Beckerman, 63), 10-Stuart Holden, 15-Sam Cronin, 13-Colin Clark (11-Brian Ching, 76); 17-Kenny Cooper (9-Charlie Davies, 63), 22-Davy Arnaud
Subs not used: 1-Troy Perkins, 2-Heath Pearce, 3-Clarence Goodson, 7-Robbie Rogers
Head Coach: Bob Bradley
HAI: 18-Jean Dominique Zérphirin; 3-Frantz Gilles, 6-Frantz Bertin, 13-Pierre Bruny (capt.), 19-Vaniel Sirin; 15-Ednerson Raymond, 12-James Marcelin, 8-Judelin Aveska, 14-Mones Chery; 9-Leonel Saint-Preux (16-Markorel Sampeur 84), 11-Fabrice Noel (23-Abel Thermueus, 79)
Subs not used: 1- Peterson Ocennat, 4- Paulin Jean, 5- Lesly Fellinga, 10-Robin Jerome, 7-Brunel Fucien
Head Coach: Jairo Rios
Stats Summary: USA / HAI
Shots: 14 / 10
Shots on Goal: 4 / 7
Saves: 5 / 1
Corner Kicks: 8 / 4
Fouls: 15 / 10
Offside: 0 / 7
Misconduct Summary:
USA – Davy Arnaud (caution) 27th minute
USA – Michael Parkhurst (caution) 31
USA – Kyle Beckerman (caution) 80
Officials:
Referee: Walter Quesada (CRC)
Assistant Referee 1: Leonel Leal (CRC)
Assistant Referee 2: Ricardo Morgan (JAM)
Fourth Official: Walter Lopez (SLV)
