CAP-HAITIEN— Despite a promising start to the season, some Haitian soccer underdogs, including Triomphe de Liancourt Athletic Club, are hinting that they may lack the composure and experience to finish the season strong.

Triomphe failed to capitalize on several goal-scoring opportunities in the first half of their match against fellow underdogs, Union Sportive Rivartibonitienne (USR). Despite these opportunities, Triomphe could not score, and their defense crumbled in the second half, resulting in a 2-0 loss to USR. This match played Wednesday night at Parc Levelt in Saint-Marc, was the final encounter of the D1 Special Championship’s eighth round.

Triomphe, a Saint-Marc-based club that has only been in the top division since 2019, remains in second place with nine points, three points behind Baltimore Sportif Club. However, their second-place position is precarious, as the three teams below each have a game in hand. The group consists of five teams competing for two playoff spots.

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Group B, played in the south zone, known as the group of young clubs. It includes three inexperienced teams: Triomphe, Cosmopolites Sportif Club, and USR. Tempête Football Club and Baltimore SC, two of the most experienced clubs in the league, also play in Group B, making the playoff run compelling.

All three of Group B’s underdogs started the season impressively with unexpected standout performances. However, their lack of experience is starting to hinder them, particularly Triomphe, as seen in their recent match. A much more experienced Baltimore side, which has won the league four times, climbed to the group’s top in early April and is determined to stay there.

“I’m satisfied because we’re at the top of the group, and we will keep working so we can stay there,” Baltimore’s captain Duckenson Registre told The Haitian Times in early April after the team’s 1-0 victory over Triomphe.

Meanwhile, Tempête, the other experienced club in Group B, has yet to win a game in six outings as the younger teams have outperformed them.

Triomphe’s match against USR was played at a nearly empty Parc Levelt stadium in Saint-Marc, perhaps because it coincided with a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal match between Real Madrid and Manchester City. Most Haitian soccer fans spent Wednesday afternoon in front of their screens watching that crucial quarter-final match opposing Madrid, the most successful club in the competition’s history, and City– last year’s winners.  

Despite the low attendance, the players put on an entertaining display in the first half. However, Triomphe’s players’ lack of composure in front of their opponents’ net was a significant takeaway from the first period.

Mervens Stamar’s early open shot from inside the box was blocked, and later in the first half, Stamar shot the ball at the keeper again in the box. The rebound fell to an unmarked Guivenson Fleuricois, who steered the ball wide. Fleuricois had another golden scoring opportunity minutes later when a loose ball dropped near him in the middle of the box, but he failed to control it.

While Triomphe was missing scoring chances, USR tried to score an opener on counterattacks, mainly via the right flank, where winger Fritz Bertrand operated. Bertrand came close to scoring late in the first half, but Triomphe’s keeper dove to the right corner of the net to block his shot.

Bertrand’s work down the right flank finally paid off in the 63rd minute when Fetchy Augustin one-timed his cross into the net. Before this goal, USR had been scoreless in four games. Bertrand pushed USR’s lead to 2-0 in the 73rd minute. With this win, USR moved from last to fourth place, keeping its playoff hopes alive.

Meanwhile, Triomphe has struggled to score goals all season long, scoring only three in its seven matches. One of Triomphe’s goals came from the penalty spot in their first game against USR in March, which they won 1-0.

Triomphe has been praised for its solid defense, which has allowed only four goals. At the beginning of the season, Triomphe was one of the teams to watch as it held powerhouses Tempête and Baltimore to 0-0 draws to stay in the top two spots of the table. But with the players’ lack of flair and experience in front of the goal, will the club remain in a playoff spot?

The club made the playoffs for the first time in the 2020-21 season after finishing in third place when the league had one group of 18 teams. Triomphe lost in the first round to Violette Athletic Club 4-2 on aggregate.

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