Mexico manager Tata Martino has watched the film. He's analyzed Haiti's strengths and weaknesses - as well as those of his own team.
Martino's calculus for Tuesday's semifinal, however, is relatively simple. Give Haiti an opening, and it will take it. Les Grenadiers have trailed in three of their four Gold Cup matches. They've won all four, including a stunning come-from-behind victory against Canada in the quarterfinal, making the first semifinals for the first time in Gold Cup history.
Mexico's task is making sure there are no openings for Haiti to exploit.
"The first thing I have to say is Haiti is a tremendously effective team that has taken advantage of the chance the opponent has given them to get into the game," Martino said at a news conference Monday. "Costa Rica allowed it, and they took advantage. They turned it around. Canada let them get into the game, with a mistake on a ball played back and later a penalty, and they took advantage.
"So, it occurs to me that it’s an opponent against which you have to play the 90 minutes with a lot of intensity and attention because the smallest concession you give to the opponent they're going to take advantage."
Focusing for a complete match hasn't always been easy for Mexico. In friendly matches this season, El Tri have scored a minimum of three goals in each match. But their only clean sheet to this point in eight games during Martino's tenure. That was against Cuba.
Haiti is a team who can take advantage of a team's errors. It's not always apparent exactly where Haiti will attack from, with six different goalscorers during the tournament and no goal quite alike.
"It’s a really powerful team. Honestly, they’re also a bit disorganized but with that disorganization, they can generate big chances," Mexico defender Cesar Montes said Monday. "They came back in three games, and that’s a fact you have to keep in mind."
The winning goal against Canada, a chaotic symphony of a counter-attack that started with a ball won in their own half, a long cross to spring the attack and a fantastic if fortunate finish, is an example of the type of goal Haiti could find against El Tri.
While Martino's initial reviews of his team have generally been positive in the first six months, the manager recognized his team is vulnerable in moments of transition. Some of it is, as the coach points out, simply down to playing style. Put the fullbacks as high up the field as he wants them, and there will be space. Other times,
"We've got an attacking position with a lot of players, so we can take charge of the game," Martino said. "While we do prepare well for the moments in which the opponent can pressure us or command the match, don't forget the first goal in the Martinique game, we also prepare to go to the space and the reality is we play a lot of time in the opponent's half with possession of the ball, putting a lot of players into the attack. What we have to do is slow down the quick exits the opponent makes.
"With the way we play, there really aren't that many chances teams create on us with counter-attacks, with how much time we spend in the opponent's half. Even so, we have to analyze them, realize and fix the situations that were conceded in every one of the matches."
Martino's side have dominated most matches in which he's coached them. Even the contest against Costa Rica was controlled by El Tri. The Gold Cup finalist isn't decided by who controls the game, though. Mexico will win the possession battle. It will have more talent on the field. But Martino rightly recognizes Haiti is a team who will take advantage of any error possible. Every team makes mistakes, but Mexico has had matches (including one against a French-speaking island eager for an upset, sound familiar?) in which it has made mistakes and been punished.
A cleaner match is needed in the semifinal, even if Haiti isn't as much of a traditional power in the region as the Ticos were in the last round. As it should be in the semifinal, there is little room for error.
