Haitian Derrick Etienne Jr. seen here playing for the New York Red Bulls moves the ball up the pitch during
the fi rst half of an MLS soccer match against the Vancouver Whitecaps, Wednesday, May 22, 2019, in Harrison,
N.J. The match ended in a 2-2 draw. Associated Press/Steve Luciano, fi le
Caribbean Life, JUNE 11-17, 2021 51
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By Nelson A. King
The first round of CONCACAF
World Cup Qualification (WCQ) drew
to a close Tuesday with clarity on
which teams are moving into the
second round and whose hopes of
making the 2022 World Cup have
come to an end, according to CONCACAF.
It said that Haiti booked its spot
in the second round thanks to a
hard-fought 1-0 victory against Nicaragua.
After a Nicaragua corner kick
shortly after the hour mark, CONCACAF
said Haiti sprung a counterattack
that was finished off by Derrick
Etienne Jr.
“As rain at the State Sylvio Cantor
fell more and more heavily, the
chances were tough to come by, and
the one goal was enough to win it,”
CONCACAF said.
Continued on Page 52
West Indies’ Kieron Pollard. Action
Images / Peter Cziborra, File
T&T players earn
CPL contracts
By Azad Ali
Trinidad and Tobago players continue
to be in high demand in the Hero
Caribbean Premier League with 21 of
them earning contracts to play in the
2021 edition of the tournament, set to
be staged entirely at Warner Park, St.
Kitts.
As was expected, the Trinidad and
Tobago Knight Riders (TKR), the defending
champions, led the pack signing 12
local players, including first-time contracted
wicketkeeper/batsman Leonardo
Julien and veteran fast bowler, Ravi
Continued on Page 52
Gayle returns
to Patriots
By Azad Ali
Veteran superset Chris Gayle had
made a return for this year’s Caribbean
Premier League (CPL) after sitting out
last year’s tournament for “personal
reasons.”
The 41-year-old hard hitting batsman
will turn out for St. Kitts and Nevis
Patriots where he spent the 2017 and
2018 seasons and helped them reach
their only final in his first year.
Jamaican Gayle had been announced
to represent St. Lucia Zouks in the 2020
campaign after controversial leaving
his native Jamaica, but pulled out just
prior to the players draft.
He is the most successful batsman
in the T20 format, is the second highest
run-getter in CPL with 2354 runs
at an average of 30, along with four
Continued on Page 52
HAITI, CURACAO
ADVANCE
First round CONCACAF qualifiers end
/SPORTS
