Curaçao makes history with World Cup qualification; Suriname sent to play-offs

Curaçao will be playing in the World Cup for the first time. Coach Dick Advocaat’s team drew against Jamaica, securing their historic spot. Suriname was relegated to the play-offs after a defeat against Guatemala.

Curaçao knew that it only needed to draw against Jamaica to secure a historic World Cup spot and miraculously achieved this feat in the Jamaican capital of Kingston, NU.nl reports. Jamaica hit the post and crossbar no fewer than three times after halftime. In stoppage time, the home team was awarded a penalty. But after VAR intervention, the referee overturned the decision, and Curaçao secured a draw.

The Curaçao players, staff, and fans went wild when the final whistle blew. With a population of only 150,000, Curaçao will be the smallest ever participant in the World Cup next year. And at 78, Advocaat will become the oldest national coach ever at a World Cup.

Over a hundred Curaçaoans in the Netherlands followed the early morning match at an event at De Mansion in Dordrecht. “It was a close call, and we didn’t want to celebrate too soon, but we are incredibly happy to be going to the World Cup,” fan Edson Rafael told ANP.

Suriname did not have the fairy tale ending it was hoping for, but its World Cup dream is still alive. Coach Stanely Menzo’s team has been relegated to the play-offs after losing 3-1 to Guatemala.

Menzo’s team got through the first half pretty well. But Suriname fell almost immediately after the break as Guatemala scored its second and third goals. At this point, Suriname was also in danger of missing its spot in the play-offs based on goal difference. But in the 93rd minute, Suriname came to 3-1 thanks to an own Goal by a Guatemala defender.

That goal secured Suriname’s place in the play-offs, miraculously keeping their World Cup dream alive.