The Japan Times - Haiti hoping to do their country proud and upset odds at World Cup

Ranked 83rd in the world, Haiti face Scotland in Boston on Saturday in the country's first match at a World Cup since 1974.

They are clear underdogs in a group also containing Brazil and Morocco, but the Grenadiers believe they can spring a surprise.

"I feel pride for the people of Haiti. We know people might have a bad image of our country, that it has lots of problems, but this will do the country, the people, my family so much good," star midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde told AFP.

"This is like a big celebration for them, and we are all going to enjoy it."

The 27-year-old Bellegarde, born in the Paris suburbs, has played more than 80 times in the English Premier League over the last three years with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

He is one of several foreign-born players of Haitian heritage who have joined the team coached by Frenchman Sebastien Migne, and Bellegarde had a key role as Haiti notably finished above 2014 World Cup quarter-finalists Costa Rica in qualifying.

"Now are just going to go one game at a time, give our best and see where that takes us," added Bellgarde after a training session watched by local children and Haitian fans at the team's Stockton University base, near Atlantic City.

A US government ban has prevented fans travelling from Haiti, a country plagued for years by instability. The United Nations recently said almost 1.5 million people within Haiti have been displaced due to gang-led violence.

However, the team should have considerable backing at their games from the sizeable Haitian community in the United States. After facing Scotland they play Brazil in Philadelphia on June 19 and Morocco in Atlanta on June 24.

The Haitian squad, who were unable to play qualifiers in their home country due to the security situation, got a taste of that support in two friendlies staged in Florida last week.

- 'Deliver a message' -

"The country does so well supporting the team. I think a lot of people were able to see that when we played in Fort Lauderdale, when we played in Miami, the support that we had and the atmosphere they created," said Derrick Etienne, a winger with MLS side Toronto FC.

"To not be able to play at home is obviously difficult, but we ultimately wanted to do something for the country to help get things going and bring awareness to what's going on there and change the status quo."

Etienne, who was born in Richmond, Virginia, but has family back in Haiti, was part of the team that reached the CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-finals in the USA in 2019.

The 29-year-old is now looking to help his country win a World Cup game for the first time –- in 1974 they lost all three matches, conceding 14 goals in the process.

"We're trying to do something that's never been done before," he said.

"We understand it's a hard task, but we have a lot of belief in ourselves. We don't really have anything to lose, we have everything to gain, so that's what we're going to try to do."

The 4-0 demolition of New Zealand last week served as a warning to Haiti's upcoming opponents, and they have a potential difference-maker in attack in Wilson Isidor.

"He's direct, strong, good technically and can finish. So, the fact he's playing with Haiti is amazing," said Etienne of the Sunderland striker.

Isidor, 25, scored six goals in the Premier League last season. Born in France, he made his Haiti debut in March.

"I'm very proud to represent the country of my Dad," he said in a break from signing autographs after training.

"I hope I am going to have some amazing adventures with the national team. We have come to deliver a message and show we are not only a small nation that has trouble."

T.Sasaki--JT