Haiti 4-0 – Haiti sent a clear message in Florida, beating New Zealand 4-0 in a friendly as the World Cup build-up tightened. The victory sets the tone for Haiti’s Group C opener in Boston on 14 June, with visa trouble sidelining midfielder Woodensky Pierre late for the t
When Haiti kicked off their World Cup warm-up in Florida, it wasn’t the atmosphere that did the talking. It was the scoreline.
At Inter Miami CF Stadium, Steve Clarke’s New Zealand side fell behind early. Ruben Providence struck after 12 minutes, and the lead was doubled by substitute Lenny Joseph six minutes after the restart. Frantzdy Pierrot then added a third with a header after the hour-mark. before Markhus Lacroix finished the job with a long-range effort late on.
The result didn’t just hand New Zealand a bruising night—it sharpened the stakes for what comes next. Haiti will play New Zealand on 14 June in Boston in Group C. After that opener, Haiti are scheduled to face Morocco and Brazil.
New Zealand arrived with several familiar faces. including Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood. Motherwell’s Elijah Just. and new Dundee United signing Jesse Randall. Haiti still dominated the match. and the contrast in rankings made the result even more striking: Haiti are the lowest ranked nation at this summer’s finals. sitting three places below their opponents.
But the story of the night doesn’t end with goals. Haiti’s build-up had already been disrupted by visa trouble for midfielder Woodensky Pierre, the squad’s only player based in the Caribbean nation.
Pierre was unable to play against New Zealand because his visa was not approved by US authorities until too late. He landed at Miami airport around half-time with Haitian soccer officials, and he hoped to catch the last part of the game, a spokesperson said.
The timing of that missed window hangs over the friendly. Haiti still produced a decisive win with Providence, Joseph, Pierrot and Lacroix doing the damage, while Pierre’s late arrival meant at least one key absence sat inside the final scoreline.
For Haiti, the message is straightforward as the calendar flips toward 14 June in Boston. For New Zealand, the immediate concern is just as clear: even with players named from well-known clubs, the gulf in performance can look wide—fast.
Haiti vs New Zealand Haiti 4-0 New Zealand Inter Miami CF Stadium Woodensky Pierre visa Steve Clarke Chris Wood Elijah Just Jesse Randall Ruben Providence Lenny Joseph Frantzdy Pierrot Markhus Lacroix World Cup Group C Morocco Brazil 14 June Boston