By Charwayne Walker
Haiti’s national football team will engage Guyana’s Golden Jaguars in the Concacaf National League at the National Track and Field Centre at Leonora on June 14, 2022.
Today, Stabroek Sport and Historian Charwayne Walker, will take readers down memory lane 49 years ago when Haiti first toured Guyana in January 1973.
The inaugural clash took place at the Guyana Sports Club Ground, Thomas Lands, Georgetown. Haiti, led by Phillipe Verbe, beat the national team 2-0 in two-match series.
Guyana playing under the captaincy of Thomas United’s Ken Gibbs, lost the series opener 3-1. Haiti went ahead in the 18th minute thru Claude Barthelemy and Emmanuel Satnon made it 2-0 in the 37th minute when he beat Guyana custodian Desmond Marshall with a bullet-like shot. Two minutes later, Guy Francois made it 3-0 with a curving shot that deflected off the upright and into the net.
Fifteen minutes from the end of full time Guyana got its solitary goal when Desmond ‘Airplane’ Morgan let fly with a right foot scorcher that the Haitian goal keeper had absolutely no chance of saving.
Before the start of play, both teams were introduced to the then Minister of Culture and Development, the late Shirley Field Ridley. The Haitian rapped up the series with a 1-0 victory in the final game.
The historic 1973 Guyana team
Ken Gibb (captain-Thomas United)
Earl Oneil (Thomas United)
Lloyd King (Thomas United)
Desmond Marshall (Thomas United)
Maurice Enmore (v/captain-Santos)
George Hyles (Santos)
Lennox Arthur (Santos)
Vibert Williams (Santos)
Alvin Braithwaite (Thomas United)
Clement Henry (Santos)
Ovid Henry (Santos)
Rudolph Hunte (Georgetown Football Club)
Robert Fernandes (Georgetown Football Club)
Terrence Egerton (Santos)
Dennis Solomon
Godfrey Poulis
Dennis Clarke (goalkeeper)
George Greene (coach)
Haiti team
Phillipe Verbe (captain)
Mario Leandre (goalkeeper)
Gerard Joseph (goalkeeper)
Serge Ducoste
Ernest Jean Joseph
Formose Gilles
Joseph Obas
Jean Claude De Sir
Emmanuel Sanon
Guy Francois
Claude Barthelmy
Wilner Piquani/Jean Marie
Jean Baptiste
Pierre Bayonne