BY SAMUEL MINTZ
The last few years have been all about recovery in Haiti. A 2010 earthquake ravaged the country, killing an estimated 316,000 people. The national football team did not escape the tragedy, as approximately 30 of those killed were members of the Haitian Football Federation, including players, coaches, referees, and administrative representatives. The Federation’s headquarters even collapsed during the quake, killing members who were attending a meeting inside.

This year’s Gold Cup will be the first major tournament for Les Grenadiers since the disaster, and is a huge step on the path to recovery for the team. Though the squad hasn’t won a game in 2013, it has had two hugely impressive results in pre-Gold Cup friendlies, drawing Italy and losing by only one goal to world champions Spain. They also finished third in the 2012 Caribbean Cup. Despite these promising recent results, it may find its group tricky, with Honduras and El Salvador both tough opponents and Trinidad and Tobago never willing to be ignored.