At 9 a.m. Beijing time (CEST) on June 14, Haiti will face Scotland in their first group stage match of the World Cup in Group C. Before the match, Haiti striker Etienne gave an exclusive interview to Scottish media outlet "The Scotsman," discussing the upcoming match and external perceptions of the team.

On the Match Against Scotland

Speaking about their first-round opponent Scotland, Etienne stated that it will be an extremely difficult match.

He noted that Scotland is a cohesive team with very strict tactical discipline, displaying a high level in both defensive structure and teamwork. Therefore, Haiti must prepare thoroughly.

"They are a very cohesive and disciplined team, and I expect a very difficult match against them," said Etienne. "I know they lost a player to injury (Billy Gilmour), but they still have top players like McTominay."

However, he also emphasized that Haiti will not be intimidated; instead, the team is ready to use its own characteristics to create threats.

"If we maintain discipline in defense, I think our athleticism will cause problems for them," said Etienne.

According to him, Haiti's advantage lies in their overall speed and physical impact. As long as they maintain a stable defensive formation, they will have opportunities to find breakthroughs.

"We Won't Play With a Loser's Mentality"

When discussing the team's mentality, Etienne clearly stated that Haiti will not enter the World Cup with any "loser's mentality."

"It's critical for our team that we don't go into any match expecting to lose," he said. "We will respect our opponents, but more importantly, we should not fear any opponent."

He emphasized that a football match is only 90 minutes, and any result is possible. The key is whether the team can maintain its own playing style.

"Regardless of who the opponent is, what matters is whether we can play our style," said Etienne.

He believes Haiti must maintain confidence based on respecting their opponents and not losing initiative simply because the opponent is more famous or from a strong European team system.

Etienne also referenced a recent Champions League match to emphasize the importance of defensive discipline.

"We saw in the Champions League final that Arsenal's defense was very solid; they did an excellent job limiting Paris Saint-Germain's attacks," he said. "I'm not saying we'll park the bus completely, but it's an important reference point."

The goal is not to emphasize passive defense but to highlight the importance of maintaining overall structure when facing strong teams, ensuring the team doesn't lose balance in the confrontation.

On Skepticism About the "Expanded Format"

Responding to external opinions that Haiti qualified because of the expanded World Cup format, Etienne provided a direct answer.

He stated that the team completely disregards external evaluation.

"Honestly, we don't care what the outside world thinks," said Etienne. "We know our standard, and we know how hard we've worked."

Haiti Returns to the World Cup After Years

Scotland will welcome their first World Cup group stage match against Haiti this weekend. The opponent is considered the relatively weaker team in the group, but external sources have reminded Scotland that Haiti also comes with the goal to "rewrite history."

Haiti will participate in the World Cup for only the second time in their history. In this tournament, they will compete in Group C, with their first match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA, against Scotland under coach Steve Clarke, scheduled for Sunday morning local time. Next, Haiti will face five-time World Cup champions Brazil, and their final group stage match will be against Morocco.

Overall, this group presents a major challenge for Haiti, but the team still hopes to achieve a breakthrough against strong opponents.

Historically, Haiti participated in the World Cup only once before, in 1974. At that time, they lost all three group stage matches, conceding 14 goals total, and never achieved a single win. Therefore, this World Cup is not just another appearance on the world stage for Haiti but also an important opportunity to seek a historic breakthrough.

Nevertheless, Etienne, a winger for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer, acknowledged that Haiti are clearly underdogs against Scotland, but he believes that these low external expectations actually allow the team to relax and could be a crucial factor in pursuing a good result.

Etienne stated: "We are trying to do something that no one has done before. We know it's a very difficult task, but we have strong belief in ourselves. We have nothing to lose, and everything to gain—that's what we're fighting for."

He also mentioned that the team recently won a friendly match against New Zealand, which demonstrated Haiti's potential and boosted team morale. "We sent a message in that match. After that win, we received a lot of support, and the fans' reaction was very enthusiastic. The country's support for the team is excellent."

When discussing the atmosphere of World Cup preparations, Etienne said the team's internal atmosphere is very stable, without obvious tension, but rather anticipation and excitement.

He said: "I don't feel any tension in the team, honestly. Many people didn't expect us to come this far, but this is the result we wanted, and we achieved it. Now we just want to bring Haiti back to the world football stage and show people that Haiti is more than what external stereotypes depict."

He further emphasized that the team hopes to change external perceptions of Haiti through the World Cup. "We want to show the world that Haiti is not just about poverty or other negative narratives. We have nothing to lose; outsiders even thought we'd finish last, and some even thought we wouldn't qualify for the World Cup. But we're here now, and we'll do our best to perform well."

Etienne also stated that regardless of results, the team will fight for points and leave the rest to fate. "We will do our best, do all we can, and then accept the outcome."

Additionally, he discussed an important addition to the team's attack line—Isidor (Wilson Isidor), a striker who has performed exceptionally well for English team Sunderland, contributing 6 goals in 11 starts this season, making him one of the team's main attacking threats.

Isidor previously played for France's youth team but chose to switch nationality in March of this year to join Haiti's national team, and quickly demonstrated his performance in international matches, scoring two goals in his first four appearances for the national team.

Etienne believes this change has greatly enhanced Haiti's attacking power: "Many people have seen our performance in our matches in Fort Lauderdale; the atmosphere was fantastic. We are a good team, and Isidor can contribute greatly to us. He is fast, strong, technically sound, and has strong finishing ability. His addition is very important to us."

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.