Undefeated Cap-Haitien club qualifies for Caribbean Cup playoffs for first time

CAP-HAITIEN — Without any doubts now, there is a newly established powerhouse in Haitian soccer and it’s none other than the youngest Cap-Haitien club, Real Hope Football Academy.

After surprisingly dominating and winning the Haitian D1 League this past season for the second time, Real Hope is also showcasing its talent outside of Haiti in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup. The 10-year-old club has qualified for the playoffs for the first time after beating Jamaican side Mount Pleasant FC 2-0. 

On Thursday night, Forward Angelo Exilus netted a brace at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica, to give Real Hope the win.

“I’m happy with the victory because we worked hard for it,” Exilus told Concacaf after the match. “I salute my teammates because they helped me give this performance. We’re going to focus on the next game now.” 

The 25-year-old is the second top scorer of the tournament with three goals.

Real Hope qualified for the semifinals while riding on an undefeated run (2W-0L-2D) and conceding the fewest goals in the group stage, two in four games. The Rhinoceroses finished second in Group A with eight points.

The Haitian champions will face Dominican champions Cibao FC in the semifinals in a two-game series scheduled for Oct. 22 and 29. 

Ouanaminthe Football Club 2011, the other Haitian team that participated in the competition, went winless and finished last in Group B with two points.

A new era in club soccer

Real Hope’s triumph is part of the new age in Haitian soccer in which legendary clubs are slowly declining, allowing young clubs to shine. With Real Hope, newcomer and underdog Ouanaminthe FC was the other finalist this past season. The two clubs reached the final while the usual giants, such as Football Inter Association Club (FICA), Racing Club Haïtien, Tempête Football Club, and others, struggled. Real Hope and Ounaminthe also shined over the old giants in the cup competitions while the league was inactive after 2019.

It is Real Hope’s first participation in the Caribbean Cup but third time playing in regional tournaments. The Rhinecoreses played in the Caribbean Club Championship in 2018 and 2019.

Real Hope plays a fast counter-attacking style via a 4-3-3 formation. Throughout the Caribbean Cup thus far, the club has been solid defensively. After dispossessing their opponents, they usually quickly build play from the back with forward passes. Indeed, Exlius scored his second goal in a fast break in the 77th minute.  

Two young stars have emerged from Real Hope’s exquisite style of play, central midfielders 25-year-old Johnson Jeudi and 24-year-old Daniel Saint-Fleur. The two youngsters have been commanding the plays and setting the tempo for Real Hope. They made the pre-list of Haiti’s national team’s two games against Aruba in the Concacaf Nations League in October but did not make the final roster. Local players have not been able to travel overseas to represent Haiti in recent months due to administrative issues.

To clinch the semifinals, Real Hope drew with Police FC 1-1, then defeated Jamaican champions Cavalier FC 2-1. The club later drew with Arnett Gardens 0-0 and beat Mount Pleasant 2-0.

The last Haitian club to make the playoffs in a regional tournament ended up winning the cup. It was Violette Athletic Club from Port-au-Prince, winner of the 2022 Caribbean Club Championship. The Cap-Haitien club, Real Hope Academy, hopes to repeat that accomplishment.

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