Haiti and Portugal qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup finals for the first time after winning playoff matches Wednesday in New Zealand.
Carole Costa scored a 94th-minute clincher in Portugal’s 2-1 win over the Cameroon “Lionesses” who have reached the round of 16 at the last two World Cups.
Haiti beat Chile 2-1 earlier Wednesday in an historic match it hopes will bring joy and “a breath of fresh air” to a strife-torn homeland.
Haiti and Portugal have taken two of the last three places at the World Cup which will be decided at the this 10-team inter-continental playoff in New Zealand. Paraguay will play Panama Thursday for the last place in the 32-team tournament which will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand in July and August.
