Leandro Bacuna (out of picture) scores the opening goal past Honduras keeper Harold Fonseca. (Source: Concacaf)
SAN PEDRO SULA--Curaçao’s national soccer team avenged their home defeat to Honduras from last Friday with a 1-2 away victory against the same opponent in Group C of League A of the 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League at “Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano” in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, on Monday night.
It was Curaçao’s second win over the Central American side, the other coming in the island’s first-ever Concacaf Gold Cup victory in 2019.
The team of mostly players with local roots active in Europe very nearly had a dream start, as Elson Hooi hit the post inside the first minute of play, but Honduras was getting chances as well, including a warning shot from Romell Quioto in the 25th minute that rippled the outside of the net.
But it was Curaçao that would break the deadlock in the 34th minute, when an attempted clearance from the Honduran defence fell right to Leandro Bacuna, who curled in a left-footed sizzler for a 0-1 lead.
Looking to spark his team, Honduras coach Diego Vasquez made all five substitutions permitted to start the second half, and the Catrachos would get the first look at goal in the second 45 minutes through Edwin Rodriguez, whose low driving shot required a save from Curaçao keeper Eloy Room.
As the second half wore on, it took on the shape of Honduras mostly pegging Curaçao back in their own half, but unable to find a way through. Meanwhile, Curaçao stayed patient in their approach and then tried to hit the Hondurans on the counterattack.
The team prior to kickoff
Honduras committed numbers forward as time ticked away, but the space left in the back would come back to haunt them. After a giveaway in their own half, Curaçao tacked on a crucial insurance goal in the 82nd minute through Anthony van der Hurk, whose composed right-footed finish beat Fonseca to make it 0-2.
Quioto was able to pull a goal back and change the score to 1-2 deep into stoppage time with a superb free kick, but in the end the three points belonged to Curaçao.
