Pierrot and Nazon had their time — Haiti needs fresh blood up top after 1‑0 loss to Saudi Arabia | ANALYSIS

CAP-HAÏTIEN — Haiti fell 1‑0 to Saudi Arabia in its 2025 Gold Cup opener Sunday night, June 15, at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, marking another disappointing performance in a high‑stakes match. At the center of the defeat were veteran forwards Duckens Nazon and Frantzdy Pierrot, whose struggles once again highlighted Haiti’s failure to develop reliable young strikers.

Nazon, 31, and Pierrot, 30, are Haiti’s first and third all‑time leading scorers, respectively. Although still capable of finding the net — both scored against weaker teams like Aruba on June 7 — their performances against higher-level opponents continue to decline. Sunday night was no exception.

In the opening 13 minutes, Nazon missed two golden chances, including a wide effort from close range and a weak shot with the goalkeeper off his line. Pierrot followed suit, misfiring twice in one‑on‑one situations. Their failure to convert allowed Saudi Arabia to control the match, which was decided by Saleh Al‑Shehri’s penalty in the 21st minute.

Off the ball, both lacked mobility and chemistry. Nazon was deployed on the wing in a 4‑3‑3 formation but struggled to beat defenders — a choice Head Coach Sébastien Migné has repeated despite previous ineffectiveness. At this stage, both are better suited as central forwards, but pairing them limits Haiti’s attacking fluidity.

Nazon and Pierrot are like ‘lèt ak sitwon’ (milk and lime) — they don’t mix, some observers note

In the second half of Haiti’s Gold Cup opening game against Saudi Arabia, substitutes Dany Jean and Ruben Providence added energy off the bench. Jean forced a strong save in the 90th minute after cutting in from the left wing. Providence, who had scored against Aruba, also showed promise.

Yet the underlying issue remains: Haiti lacks a ready young striker. Gang violence shuttered development hubs like Camp Nou Academy, and federation instability has disrupted long‑term planning. Attempts to naturalize diaspora players have been short‑lived.

Among current options, 25‑year‑old Mondy Prunier stands out. He scored 10 goals this season with Francs Borains in Belgium’s second division — more than any other Grenadier — but remains untested against top competition.

The table below highlights the performance of the eight strikers called up by Migné, underscoring some of the team’s struggles. 

Up next, amid the need for a reliable number 9

Haiti faces Trinidad and Tobago on June 19 for its second group stage match and then will face the United States on June 22. The USMNT, Haiti’s third and last opponent in the group stage, won’t be an easy one. 

Fortunately for Les Grenadiers, they will face an average and struggling team in Trinidad and Tobago, which lost to the U.S. 5-0 on opening day. Against the Soccer Warriors at Shell Energy Stadium (Houston, TX) at 4:15 EST on Thursday, either Pierrot or Nazon must find their form, or another forward has to step up and establish himself; the team will need goals to advance. There will be no room for mistakes.

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