CANADA 2012 CONCACAF WOMEN'S PREOLYMPIC: Haiti 3 Cuba 0

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- The CONCACAF Olympic women's qualifying tournament was a reminder to Haiti how far it has come and how far it must go as well.
A joyous Haitian side walked out of BC Place with a 3-0 win over Cuba on Monday night, its lone victory of the tournament after losing to Canada and Costa Rica by a combined 8-0.
After qualifying for the CONCACAF finals with two victories and a draw, and aggregate goal count of 13-1 in Caribbean play, the Haitians came to Vancouver ranked sixth by FIFA in the CONCACAF region -- and 62nd in the world.
"The match shows where we are in CONCACAF and in the Caribbean," coach Ronald Luxieux said. "We were at our best and played our strongest. Now in the next years we will have to continue to work to reach the level of the best in CONCACAF."
Having played women's soccer on the national team level since 1991, Haiti suffered its worst loss in 2002, 11-1 to Canada in a Women's World Cup qualifier. It's 6-0 to the host Canadians in the opener of the group stage of Olympic qualifying was humbling, but clearly better than 10 years ago.
"There were many things," Luxieux said. "Physically these teams are really good and really strong tactically. The girls are really strong mentally as well.
"The Haitian girls, I believe this was what was missing back home in Haiti for us. We're really good tactically and technically as well. However, mentally, we do have a few setbacks."
Forward Kim Boulos, who scored Haiti's first goal in three games in the 72nd minute, felt the experience was priceless.
"Every time we come to a tournament like this, it just shows us, A, what we need to work, but, B, we can play with these teams," she said. "If we continue getting better, maybe the next time we qualify…It just shows us we can do anything we believe."
That includes the tactical side as well.
"Defensively, maybe our tactics and offensively our movement off the ball, which will definitely come," she said. "We need to work on it now. We'll definitely get better at that."
To grow and develop impact players, Luxieux said more Haitian players have to play at colleges outside of the island country.
"At home we have nothing similar to a CONCACAF tournament," he said. "Most of the girls do play in Haiti and five play in other countries. To grow I think that many will have to attend schools in other countries to continue to develop and hopefully one day reach the level of an Abby Wambach or a Christine Sinclair."