Haiti beat Nicaragua in World Cup qualifier to go top of group

Haiti swept past hosts Nicaragua 3-0 on Thursday to move to the top of Group C in the final round of 2026 World Cup qualifying for North and Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF).

Duckens Nazon, Danley Jean Jacques and Louicius Deedson scored for Haiti, who bagged their first win of the final round in a match interrupted for more than an hour when a torrential thunderstorm led to a power outage in Managua.

Nazon put the visitors up 1-0 in the 12th minute, seizing upon a loose ball in the box and slotting home from close range.

Jean Jacques headed home a corner to double their lead in the 35th minute.

Deedson struck in second-half stoppage time to move Haiti to five points, with an edge on goal difference over Honduras, who played to a scoreless draw with Costa Rica in San Pedro Sula.

That result, in a scrappy match that saw few significant scoring chances, dented Costa Rica’s chances of advancing to the 2026 finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

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Vying for a seventh World Cup appearance, the Ticos came in needing to gain ground after draws with Nicaragua and Haiti but their aggressive approach went unrewarded.

They are third in the group on three points ahead of Nicaragua on one.

Qualifying in the region continues with four matches on Friday.

With the host nations assured of berths as co-hosts, qualifying in the region was changed to feature a final round comprising three groups of four.

The three group winners will qualify automatically for the World Cup and the best two second-placed teams will get a further chance in the inter-confederation playoffs.