Africa-Press – Uganda. Three years to the1974 World Cup, Jean-Claude Duvalier, aka Baby Doc Duvalier, aged 20, succeeded his father Francois as Haiti president.
A big football fan, Baby Doc reportedly diverted funds from US humanitarian aid to finance football development in Haiti and the repressive ruler desperately wanted to flaunt his football progress to the world. Shortly, Haiti ranked third strongest in the Concacaf region behind Mexico and Costa Rica.
Baby Doc wanted more. And he got it, at all costs. In an article titled: “World Cup Crimes Against Soccer” Leander Schaerlaeckens, a World Soccer magazine contributor, reviled the Haitian campaign.
“Not only were the Haitians simply not good enough, they hadn’t qualified legitimately,” he wrote, adding: “In the deciding qualifier, which sent them to the World Cup, they benefited from the disallowing of four goals by their opponent, Trinidad. Although the referee was suspended, Haiti’s qualification stood.”
In their opening World Cup tie, Haiti faced a tough Italy, whose goalkeeper Dino Zoff hadn’t conceded a goal in four years. But after surviving Italy’s endless attacks in the first half, the underdogs shocked the world when striker Emmanuel Sanon beat the unbeatable Zoff and tapped home in 46 minutes.
The Italians retaliated with three strikes, winning 3-1, their only victory as they, with Haiti, exited Group 4.
A Haitian writer, who watched that match as a 12-year-old, countered Schaerlaeckens, arguing that, “…this was a proud moment for Haitian soccer and Haiti in general.”
As for the clandestine qualification match, he cited Maradona’s hand goal that sent Argentina to the 1986 World Cup semis, and Thierry Henry’s hand goal that took France to South Africa 2010.
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