SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras — Captain Matthew Baldisimo scored the winning goal just before halftime as Canada defeated Haiti 3-1 Saturday to kick off the CONCACAF U17 men’s soccer championship.
Duwayne Ewart and Kadin Chung also scored for Canada, which came back after conceding the opening goal to the Haitians.
Ronaldo Damus gave Haiti a brief 1-0 lead in the 32nd minute, but Ewart countered just two minutes later.
Baldisimo put Canada ahead on the final play of the first half. Harry Paton launched a high corner kick from the left side, and the Haitian goalkeeper only got his fingertips to the ball. Baldisimo was in the right place to get his partially blocked header over the goal-line.
Chung made it back-to-back goals by defenders in the 74th minute when he was set up with a fine pass from Munir Saleh.
Canada next faces Costa Rica on Tuesday.