By Fernando Kallas
PHILADELPHIA, June 18 (Reuters) - Haiti manager Sebastien Migne knows his side face a monumental battle when they take on Brazil on Friday, but he said the Caribbean underdogs have everything to gain in their World Cup Group C clash.
Playing at their first World Cup since 1974, Haiti began with a 1-0 defeat by Scotland, John McGinn's first-half goal proving decisive despite a late push in which Frantzdy Pierrot headed narrowly wide in the 85th minute.
Now comes Brazil, the five-times
champions, and a match that would send shockwaves through Port-au-Prince and beyond if Haiti were to pull off the unthinkable.
"We'll have to run more than we did against Scotland," Migne told a press conference via translation on Thursday.
"Tomorrow we've got everything to gain in a match like this. It's been 52 years since we last featured in a World Cup, and now we're up against Brazil – we've got to live up to our fans' expectations.
"It's a privilege to be here, and I hope we can make the Haitian people proud of us."
Migne said Haiti's ambitions had not been dented by the loss to Scotland, insisting they had already shown they belonged on the game's biggest stage.
"We didn't beat Scotland, but we showed that we deserve to be here," he said.
"The objective hasn't changed... The objective is to try to qualify, to present a good image and to show that we deserve our place in the next round – perhaps as third-placed team."
"It would be absolute madness in Haiti if we won this match," he added.
"When you're Haitian, you face more difficult times than easy ones. But when you step into the world of football, you dream of a moment like this – facing Brazil at a World Cup."
(Reporting by Fernando KallasEditing by Christian Radnedge)
