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Haiti will play Nicaragua in a home-and-away series later this month to determine which team takes the final available place at the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Les Grenadiers have named a 30-man preliminary squad for the Gold Cup playoff games, and the New York Red Bulls' Derrick Etienne is on the list.
La liste des 30 joueurs pré-convoqués pour les 2 matchs contre le Nicaragua les 24 & 28 Mars 2017 @GoldCup #Goldcup2017 #GrenadyeAlaso pic.twitter.com/vsouCyOYBt
— F.H.F. (@fhfhaiti) March 7, 2017
So too is former RBNY player Andrew Jean-Baptiste.
Both Etienne and Jean-Baptiste were instrumental in helping Haiti to the match against Nicaragua. Etienne scored the opener and AJB bagged the match-winner in January's 4-3 win over Trinidad and Tobago that saw Les Grenadiers through to this lucky-losers playoff between the fifth-best teams from the Caribbean and Central American Gold Cup qualifying tournaments.
Gold Cup qualification is the clear priority for Haiti's men's national team this year, so expect the final squad to be the strongest Les Grenadiers can muster for the occasion.
The first leg of the qualifying playoff will be played in Haiti on March 24. Nicaragua hosts the second leg on March 28.