WILLEMSTAD – The Curaçao national football team has been eliminated from the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup after a narrow 2-1 defeat to Honduras in their final group stage match. The result ended all hopes of advancing to the quarterfinals for head coach Dick Advocaat and his squad. 

Curaçao entered the decisive match with two points from earlier draws against El Salvador (0-0) and Canada (1-1). A win against Honduras, who had three points, was the only way for Curaçao to leapfrog into second place and secure a spot in the knockout stage. 

The match, played under intense pressure, saw Honduras strike first midway through the first half with a long-range effort by Jorge Álvarez. Curaçao responded before halftime when a corner kick led to a bizarre own goal by the Honduran goalkeeper, leveling the score at 1-1. 

In the second half, Curaçao pushed forward in search of the winner, creating several chances but failing to convert. Their hopes were dashed deep into injury time when Luis Palma scored a dramatic late goal for Honduras, sealing a 2-1 victory and sending Curaçao home. 

With two points from three matches, Curaçao finishes third in Group B, behind Canada and Honduras. Despite the disappointment, the team showed resilience throughout the group stage, featuring standout performances from players with Dutch league experience such as Eloy Room, Joshua Brenet, and Jürgen Locadia. 

This marks the end of Curaçao's 2025 Gold Cup campaign, as the team now looks ahead to future regional competitions with a renewed focus.

Photo credit: ANP