By Dylan Butler

WASHINGTON - It took him a lot longer than he expected. And when Delroy Facey's international debut finally came, it drew mixed results.

The 29-year-old forward from Notts County played the entire 90 minutes for Grenada on Wednesday, which suffered a 2-0 loss to Haiti in a Group B match at RFK Stadium.

"Obviously, I'm honored to have my first cap for Grenada, but just disappointed about the result," he said. "I thought the boys, at times, we got the ball down and passed it well. Maybe if we'd put a couple chances away, the game could've been turned on its head, but unfortunately we didn't and we got punished again."

Facey nearly had a spectacular debut, but Haitian goalkeeper Jean Dominique Zephirin dived to his left to push away his attempt from the top of the 18-yard box eight minutes into the match.

In the 39th minute, Ricky Charles chipped a ball to the back post and Facey slid in but fired over the bar. Two minutes from full time, Facey beat Zephirin to a loose ball and sent it back across the goal, but no one was there for the Spice Boyz.

"I think the lad tried," Grenada coach Tommy Taylor said. "But if the quality of the ball up to him is not right, you're not going to see a lot of the dough out there. I think he's missed a goal at the back post, I think he took it with his wrong foot at the time. But it's a split second decision he has to make and he's made it, and it's gone over the top of the crossbar."

Facey had hoped to earn his first cap in Grenada's Group B opener against the United States, but there was a problem with his paperwork and the bulky center forward had to wait a bit longer.

"I would have loved to play the America game," he said. "That was the one I was really looking forward to because I've seen them play on the TV, saw the first team play in the Confederations Cup last week. It just wasn't to be, but as my mom said, every disappointment is a blessing."

Facey's first opportunity to play for Grenada, where his mother was born, came in 2001. But a broken ankle derailed those plans.

"I wasn't able to play because I was out for the best part of three months," Facey said. "That was a blow and, to be honest, I thought it had all blown over and I didn't think I'd get another opportunity."

When Taylor was installed as Grenada coach in late May, the longtime club coach in England had sought to bolster the squad by adding English players of Grenadian descent. Jermaine Beckford from Leeds and Bradley Wright-Phillips of Southampton both declined, hoping to work out new club deals in England.

"Those are the kind of players Grenada has over there," Taylor said. "I can understand them because they're looking for new clubs and if they come over and get injured, they won't be able to get a new club."

Facey also received a call, but he didn't take it seriously, at first.

"I thought it was a wind-up (practical joke)," Facey said. "I kept double-checking. It was the manager's agent that rang me. I asked if it was a wind-up, because if it was, it was a very good one. He said I'm being totally honest with you."

Word that Facey was included on the Grenada squad for the Gold Cup wasn't met with enthusiasm by Notts County manager Ian McParland, though.

"I'd rather have Del with us for the first 11 days of training, but I suppose playing a few games in the Gold Cup won't do him any harm," McParland told the club's Web site.

But Facey wasn't going to pass up this opportunity, not after missing his first chance eight years ago.

"He wasn't too keen," Facey said. "It wasn't a concern to me, because at the end of the day it's my international career I'm thinking about. Not many players in the 92 professional clubs back in England have got international call-ups. And for me to have one is a great honor."