England, the new kings of the UEFA Nations Cup, will face bottom-ranked powerhouse Haiti in their first group game. Despite the obvious difference in strength, I have a feeling this match will be full of variables.
Given that Haiti will be playing an intensive defensive strategy, England will have to be clever in finding the breakthroughs. A quick breakthrough score would not only ease the pressure, but also relax the mindset of the team and the players.
I am confident that Coach Vivienne will set the pace of the game well and make sure that the team is in control. She will be directing her team to fight for possession, play high pressure and force the Haitian players to run for their lives through quick passes. In this way, England can expect to find a breakthrough in the midfield or on the side of the ball.
With Lauren Hamp, Alexia Russo, Daly and Keeley all leading the lineup, England's attacking line is on fire. I'm particularly looking forward to Loren James making his debut in this tournament to see how good this new star is.
Haiti advanced to the final week with a thrilling victory over Senegal and Chile in the play-offs. One of the team's key players was Dumoni, who was particularly impressive, hitting two solo goals against Chile. The 19-year-old recently joined top European side Lyon and is expected to be a central player for the team.
Haiti also has a number of players who play for French clubs, with captain Montesayat and striker Batjebaroui both posing threats that should not be underestimated.
