Melchie Dumornay (#6 above) is the queen of Caribbean women's football today, her double-strike at North Harbour Stadium on February 22 earning Haiti a 2-1 play-off win over Chile and a first-ever appearance at the FIFA Women's World Cup Finals in five months' time. China, Denmark and England lie in wait for the CONCACAF contenders, who stunned the 1157-strong mainly Chilean-supporting crowd with a thoroughly deserved victory which could have been greater still - reigning FIFA "The Best" Women's Goalkeeper of the Year Christiane Endler superbly saved Nerilla Mondesir's penalty late in the contest. There was plenty of pressure from Chile early doors, Kethna Louis responding to it with a flying boot into the shoulder of Daniela Zamora, who was leaping to head the ball in the seventh minute. The Haitian defender was eventually booked by referee Salima Mukansanga, amid a cacophony of catcalls from the Chilean supporters, who made enough noise to suggest three-times the actual crowd number was inside the facility. Three minutes later, Isidora Olave landed a cross-shot on the roof of Kerly Theus' net after Zamora and Louis clashed again on the Chilean right, while a Yenny Acuna drive stung the gloves of Theus in the thirteenth minute, as the South Americans pressed for an early opener. They had to be mindful, however, of the threat posed by Dumornay, who was carrying the hopes of Haiti on her shoulders. A driving run and a probing through ball in a two-minute cameo around the twenty-minute mark suggested she was well up for the challenge, as were her team-mates - Nerilla Mondesir was causing plenty of problems on the left, too. Chile were looking the side more likely to score, however, and in the 24th minute they came desperately close to breaking the deadlock. Yessenia Lopez's beautifully flighted free-kick in from the right found Zamora sliding in to meet it on cue. She succeeded in steering the sphere beyond Theus, but unfortunately for Chile, the ball crept past the far post as well. On the half-hour, Theus was right behind Acuna's glancing header from a Karen Araya free-kick, soon after which the 'keeper was afforded catching practice by Acuna from another Araya free-kick, which had been awarded after a trio of fouls on Zamora, Olave and Araya, only the last of which was deemed worthy of a free-kick, much to the consternation of Chilean coach Jose Letelier and their fervent supporters, who were generating a terrific atmosphere. After Keefe landed a looping header on the roof of Haiti's net in first half stoppage time, that atmosphere was silenced by the brilliance of Dumornay. Surging through the inside left channel, she worked a one-two with Roselord Borgella before fending off an opponent and curling a gem of a shot beyond the flailing fingertips of Endler and into the far side of the net by the post - 1-0 Haiti. Cat, meet pigeons! Chile were stunned, and before the half-time whistle could have conceded twice more. Dumornay threaded a pass through the inside-right channel for Borgella, who smashed a shot on the run over the bar. Soon after, a Sherly Jeudy corner arced into the danger zone, but Endler met it with a superb punch clear, the last act of the half seeing the ball travelling thirty yards before meeting terra firma. If Chile were in any doubt that they had a test on their hands, it took just two minutes of the second half for them to discover that Haiti well and truly meant business, and clearly had designs on giving some much-needed joy to a nation which has suffered so much through natural disasters in the last decade. Borgella got both Carla Guerrero and Araya in all sorts of bother on a rampaging run into the penalty area before looking to set up Mondesir. The fast-retreating figure of Olave foiled her progress, allowing Chile to clear their lines and set about the task of drawing level, all the time aware that they needed to keep the back door shut, something which Endler's sheer presence - at six foot one, she is an intimidating sight in her trademark all-black kit - virtually guaranteed. The conquest for parity commenced in the 51st minute, Batcheba Louis clearing off the line after an Araya free-kick ricocheted goalwards off a defender. Soon after, Tabita Joseph cleared her lines as Araya and Acuna engineered a move down the left, with pretty much everyone except Endler in Haiti's half of the field. That wasn't the case in the 57th minute, however, when a Haitian counter-attack saw Jeudy releasing Mondesir, who brought Dumornay into play. She evaded a challenge, but couldn't get the better of Endler this time round. Not long afterwards, Jeudy was leaving the field on a stretcher, her right leg in a splint. The incident wasn't a good look, and one

hopes she recovers quickly. It also meant there'd be a fair dollop of injury time to add to the end of the second half, but there was plenty of action still to come in this tussle, one in which Chile was trying hard, but finding the combination of fortune and Haiti's desperate defending conspiring against them in their quest for Women's World Cup glory. Truth be told, the Haitians were proving themselves the better team. Eighteen minutes from time, Dumornay received a pass from Borgella and proceeded to give two opponents the runaround before delivering a delicious defence-splitting pass into the stride of Mondesir, who was only foiled by Endler's anticipation and a brave save at her feet. After Theus turned a Zamora shot on the run round the post, the Haitians came desperately close to doubling their lead. Borgella stormed through off the left to find herself one-on-one with Endler, whom the striker fired past, only for the near post to intervene, the ball spinning across the face of goal … at which point the offside flag was raised - why so late in the piece, especially if it's glaringly obvious early doors that the player concerned is offside. Five minutes from time, Borgella was off again, this time down the right, before feeding the darting run of Dumornay through the defence. She sent a cross fizzing across the face of goal, just beyond Mondesir, who was racing in on the far post. Olave had been tracking her run, however, and pulled the forward's arm at the decisive moment, an action spotted by the all-seeing eye of the Video Assistant Referee - a penalty was eventually awarded! Up stepped Mondesir, the chance to seal Haiti's World Cup spot on her shoulders. But one of the world's best goalkeepers had other ideas, Endler producing a brilliant penalty save to keep Chile's hopes of qualifying for the Finals alive. Urged on by their local support crew, the South Americans piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser in the eleven minutes of stoppage time which had been signalled. Maria Rojas headed an Acuna cross narrowly past the post before Lopez lashed a thirty yard thunderbolt against the crossbar, the incoming figure of Valentina Navarrete just unable to capitalise on the rebound. A clash of heads between Zamora and Kethna Louis - those two yet again! - in Haiti's penalty area added further time to that which was already guaranteed. But when play resumed after both had been treated, the game was up for Chile. Substitute Roseline Eloissaint picked out Mondesir eight minutes into stoppage time, and after checking inside, she slipped a pass into the stride of Dumornay, who was making a driving right-to-left angled run across the top of Chile's penalty area. This took her into the penalty area, from where she produced an exquisite angled finish across Endler and in by the far post. 2-0 Haiti. But not for long. Three minutes later, Chile's hopes were revived by Rojas, who rattled home a rocket into the top far corner of the net upon receipt of a Lopez corner - 2-1, the signal for La Roja to throw caution to the wind and pile on the pressure for a dramatic late equaliser which would take this play-off into extra time. Endler joined in the chaos within Haiti's penalty area as another Lopez corner arced into the danger zone. Inadvertently, she collided with her opposite number, Theus - the odds on both goalkeepers clashing in any football match must be at the very extreme end of the scale, but when qualifying for the World Cup Finals is on the line, anything goes! Cue another stoppage for treatment to be administered, but soon after Theus was able to resume play, referee Mukansanga decided that fourteen minutes of stoppage time was suffice and blew the final whistle, to the undisguised delight of the Haitian players, coaching staff, their small local supporters crew and, undoubtedly, an entire nation looking on 8,250 miles away. By contrast, Chile's players, coaching staff and supporters were beyond disappointed, with the fans venting their frustrations upon the match officials as they left the pitch via a cacophony of boos. 'Twas the players who had failed them, however, as in truth, the better team won on the day. And after the agonies Haiti as a nation has endured in recent years - two seven-magnitude earthquakes in 2010 and 2021 - no one in their right mind should begrudge this Caribbean nation their long-awaited moment in the footballing sun. Chile:          Endler; Olave (booked, 87) (Balmaceda, 90), Guerrero, Saez, Lara; Lopez, Araya (booked, 42), Grez (Jimenez, 90); Zamora, Keefe (Rojas, 66), Acuna (Navarrete, 64) Haiti:          Theus; Petit-Frere (booked, 49), Constant, Joseph, K. Louis (booked, 8); Dumornay, Limage, Jeudy (Moryl, 69); B. Louis (booked, 28), Borgella (Eloissaint, 90), Mondesir Referee:     Salima Mukansanga (Rwanda)