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Despite the loss to Haiti, coach Pelayo is satisfied with Belize’s performance in the World Cup qualifier

Posted: Friday, March 26, 2021. 2:08 pm CST.

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: Belize Men’s National Team coach Dale Pelayo says he is not happy but is satisfied with the team’s performance against Haiti on Thursday in Belize’s first game in the World Cup qualifiers.

“Two set pieces in the game they scored but everything technically that they were bringing on the pitch we managed to hold down and to me that speaks volumes,” Pelayo said.

Pelayo said they knew that the Haitian team would come out with an offensive press and considering that Belize had not been able to play not even one practice match, he and his coaching planned a defensive strategy.

“Our focus was to have the team remain disciplined defensively for the first 15 to 20 minutes, which we did,” Pelayo said. “We stuck to our game plan. We knew they would want to play a lot of long balls over the top. Defensive wise we were strong during that first half.”

Belize only had a couple of breaks generated by Angello Cappello.

“We wanted to play Angello wide,” Pelayo said. “We know what he is capable of doing having space. There were a couple of instances when he got in the box, but they read us. We had a play when he sent it across the goal but Bernárdez was unable to connect.”

Pelayo admitted that the BMNT could not develop its offensive strategy.

“Offensively we weren’t that strong because we wanted to focus more defensive-wise. We wanted to use Jordi (Polanco) offensively for our plays to come through the middle but that option was not there. So, it took away from our game. Deon had to drop back a little bit to help defensively because Jordi was not strong.”

Haiti’s goals in the second half came from set-pieces off corner kicks.

“In the first half we defended those set pieces well, but it’s the game,” Pelayo said. “You’re being tested and tested and if you’re not alert 100 percent throughout the game, you know, that first goal they send their players up, they shielded off and nobody went up to defend the player and he was free to send the ball in. We lost focus at that point and it cost us a goal.”

Haiti’s second goal, came off another corner kick when Deshawon Bernard had to be taken off the field because of a knock to the head.

“Nembhard who is one of our big defenders had to be taken out and that cost us the second goal’” Pelayo said. “The ball fumbled and unfortunately it ended up in the goal.”

Both Norman Anderson and McCaulay tried but could not clear the ball.

“Offensively, our game plan was to use Jordi as much as possible to be creative but that was closed off,” Pelayo said. “We ended up going in a long ball which is not our style of play, but, to me, the result two to nothing against Haiti, which is a big team in the Caribbean, for Concacaf, for us not to have been able to play any competitive friendly match, straight from training camp coming to play this game, the result for me as a coach I’m satisfied how my team played defensively. Offensively we didn’t get the result we wanted but we need to work on that.”

McCaulay having dropped back, severely handicapped the team

Pelayo said that he expects the team to do better against the Turks and Caicos Islands on Tuesday, a game that we must win.

 

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