WILLEMSTAD (DA) — Juninho Bacuna scored in the 58th minute as the Curaçao men’s national team defeated Trinidad and Tobago 1-0 Thursday at Stadion Ergilio Hato, earning its third straight CONCACAF Nations League victory. The match was played in front of a sellout crowd of 7,662, according to the Curaçao Football Federation (FFK).
Haiti’s 4-1 win over the Dominican Republic left Curaçao and Haiti with 9 points each, with the Blue Wave leading Group A on goal difference. The Dominican Republic remains third with 6 points. Curaçao has not yet clinched advancement, but 1 more point from a draw Sunday would guarantee a top-two finish and a place in the quarterfinals.
Curaçao is already certain to finish no lower than third, securing its place in League A and at least a spot in the 2027 Gold Cup preliminaries. Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Trinidad and Tobago can no longer catch it.
After scoring 10 goals in victories over Costa Rica and Nicaragua, Dick Advocaat’s side had to wait until the second half for Thursday’s breakthrough.
Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Denzil Smith denied Livano Comenencia, J. Bacuna, Kenji Gorré and Jürgen Locadia before halftime. J. Bacuna eventually broke the deadlock from Tahith Chong’s assist.
The visitors went down to 10 players when Dantaye Gilbert received his second yellow card in the 71st minute. Curaçao could not extend its lead, and Eloy Room saved efforts from Reon Moore and, deep into stoppage time, Daniel David to preserve the team’s first clean sheet of the campaign.
The teams meet again Sunday, Oct. 4, at Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, with kickoff at 6 p.m. Curaçao time.
Trinidad and Tobago will be without Gilbert following his dismissal and Noah Powder for accumulated yellow cards. Powder’s stoppage-time caution was his second, after a booking against Haiti. Michel Poon-Angeron’s yellow was his first and does not trigger a suspension.