Elijah Just has warned Scotland that Haiti cannot be taken lightly after the Caribbean side swept New Zealand aside 4-0 in a World Cup warm-up in Miami on Tuesday night. The 26-year-old started for New Zealand and came away convinced that Scotland, who open against Haiti in Boston, will need to be alert from the first whistle.
Just’s warning landed because he saw Haiti up close. He described them as a side with plenty of one-v-one quality and said they were direct, strong and powerful, the kind of team that can cause problems if opponents think the World Cup will hand out easy matches. “Look, I’m not an expert on the Scottish national team, but for sure, you can’t underestimate them,” he said. “It will be difficult for Scotland. I think if anyone thinks there will be easy games at the World Cup, that will be a mistake.”
The result in Miami gave that message extra weight. Haiti are being talked up as Group C underdogs, but they were ruthless against New Zealand, and Just said he hopes Scotland do not dismiss them. “Haiti are a good side, they have a lot of good one-v-one players and were really sharp,” he said. “They’re direct, strong, powerful and they’ll cause teams some problems.”
For Just, the match was also a personal marker. He said it had been nice to be involved in New Zealand’s World Cup group and that he was looking forward to being on the world stage, calling it another step for him to show himself. “Of course, it’s special for me to be part of the squad for a World Cup,” he said. “Hopefully I take some of my club form into the World Cup and help out the boys.”
There is still a lot on the line for New Zealand, who still have work to do if they want to make something good of the tournament. Their schedule now moves on to Group G games against Iran, Egypt and Belgium, with a meeting with England in Tampa on Saturday before Just heads west for matches in Los Angeles and Vancouver. That leaves his form, and possibly his future, under a brighter light than ever.
Just said it was an incredible season at Motherwell and acknowledged that Jens Berthel Askou is already gone, adding that he wishes the manager well and believes he deserves his move. He was admired by Celtic, Rangers and other clubs after his performances in Scotland, but for now the question is whether he returns to Motherwell after the tournament or whether Tuesday night was part of a bigger farewell to a season that has already taken him further than expected.
