PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad – Haiti’s women Under-17 team are poised to defy the odds and contest next month’s CONCACAF Under-17 Women’s Championship in Costa Rica.

The northern Caribbean country was devastated by last month’s 7.0 magnitude earthquake which resulted in nearly 200 000 deaths but the young women’s side are seeking to overcome the chaos to do battle in the 10-20 March tournament.

There was no loss of life among the playing squad but coach Jean-Yves Labaze died when the three-storey Haiti Football Federation headquarters collapsed.

The squad are currently being accommodated in the neighbouring Dominican Republic with the national federation there providing lodging and training facilities to aid their preparation for the competition.

CONCACAF president Jack Warner, who toured Haiti last weekend, said he would also take care of the team’s expenses.

"Haiti’s participation in this tournament under the most difficult circumstances is a testament to the will and commitment of the Haitian Football Federation, their players and coaches and the Haitian people," Warner said.

"We applaud their perseverance and look forward to working together to rebuild their football programme and country."

Warner said earlier this week it was important that Haiti’s football rebounded quickly from the disaster that claimed 30 members of the national federation and left many others unaccounted for.

Also a powerful FIFA vice-president, Warner stressed that no effort would be spared in rebuilding the federation’s headquarters. In San Jose, Haiti’s women will meet the United States, hosts Costa Rica and fellow CFU team Cayman Islands who won a playoff with the Dominican Republic to qualify.

During the CFU first round qualifiers played last December, Haiti defeated Cayman Islands 1-0, Bahamas 5-0 and British Virgin Islands, 24-0 for first place in Group A.