Haiti crushed a shabby New Zealand 4-0 on Tuesday in a steamy World Cup warm-up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, delighting a bustling crowd of Haitian fans and spoiling a landmark match for All Whites captain Chris Wood.
Ruben Providence struck in the 12th minute at Inter Miami CF Stadium, and substitute Lenny Joseph doubled the lead for the 82nd-placed Caribbeans six minutes after the restart.
Frantzdy Pierrot grabbed a third with a header on the hour mark before Markhus Lacroix completed the demolition job with a long-range missile as the counter-punching Grenadiers dismantled the World Cup’s lowest-ranked nation.
Haiti’s build-up was overshadowed by visa problems for midfielder Woodensky Pierre, the team’s only player in the Caribbean country.
Pierre could not play against the New Zealanders because his visa was approved too late by the American authorities.
He landed at Miami Airport around halftime with Haitian soccer officials and hoped to watch the final part of the game, a team spokesman said. Reuters.
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New Zealand captain Wood became his country’s most capped player with 89 appearances, one of which went past Ivan Vicelich, but there was little to celebrate for the Nottingham Forest striker.
Wood conjured up one of his side’s few chances early in the first half with a bicycle kick, saved on the line by goalkeeper Jhony Placide.
New Zealand’s Alex Paulsen had a poor audition as his team’s starting goalkeeper, while centre-back Finn Surman also had a first half to forget.
Both were at fault for Providence’s goal when the Netherlands-based striker weaved through Surman in the area and picked off Paulsen from a tight angle.
Tim Payne, New Zealand’s suddenly famous full-back, went to ground in the area after contact with Placide in the 17th minute, but no penalty was given and no VAR was available.
New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley put Max Crocombe in goal in the second half amid a flurry of substitutions, but three goals fell to the hapless keeper as the All Whites’ defense collapsed.
Joseph took a through ball between defenders Michael Boxall and Francis de Vries and tucked a left-footed shot into the corner before an unmarked Pierrot headed in a cross from five yards in the 62nd minute.
Lacroix completed New Zealand’s embarrassment on 87 minutes when he turned to the edge of the area and fired into the right corner of the net, sending the blue and red clad fans into a frenzy.
Published on June 3, 2026
