WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao heads to the FIFA World Cup full of confidence after completing its final preparations with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Aruba in front of a sold-out crowd in Willemstad.
The farewell match provided exactly the boost the Blue Wave needed before departing for the United States on Monday for the biggest tournament in the nation's history. While the scoreline suggests a comfortable evening, the match also demonstrated the depth, quality and growing maturity of Dick Advocaat’s squad as it prepares to face some of the world's strongest football nations.
For much of the first half, Curaçao dominated possession and created numerous opportunities but failed to find the breakthrough. Despite controlling the match from start to finish, the World Cup debutants struggled to convert their chances, leaving supporters waiting for the opening goal.
That moment finally arrived eight minutes into the second half when Joshua Brenet calmly slotted home the 1-0. The goal opened the floodgates and effectively ended any hopes Aruba had of staging a surprise.
Jeremy Antonisse doubled the lead in the 68th minute with a delicate lob over the goalkeeper before Livano Comenencia added a third in the 83rd minute. Juninho Bacuna put the finishing touch on an impressive performance deep into stoppage time, curling a spectacular shot into the top corner to send the packed stadium into celebration.
The victory was particularly encouraging because Advocaat used the match to fine-tune his World Cup plans. After halftime, the veteran coach replaced ten of his eleven starters, allowing him to evaluate nearly his entire squad one final time before the tournament.
The second-half lineup is widely expected to resemble the team that will take the field against Germany in Curaçao's historic World Cup opener on June 14 in Houston.
Although striker Jürgen Locadia was unavailable due to the red card he received during the friendly against Scotland, the core of the team remained intact. Key players such as Juninho Bacuna, Leandro Bacuna, Tahith Chong, Jeremy Antonisse, Armando Obispo and captain Eloy Room once again demonstrated why they have become the backbone of Curaçao's remarkable World Cup journey.
The performance also helped erase memories of last week's 4-1 defeat to Scotland. Following that loss, Advocaat insisted that fitness and preparation were more important than the result itself. Against Aruba, Curaçao combined fitness with goals, producing exactly the kind of performance supporters wanted to see before the team departs for the global stage.
More importantly, the match confirmed that the Blue Wave enters the World Cup healthy, organized and confident. The squad has already achieved the impossible by becoming the smallest country ever to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, but Saturday's display suggested the team has no intention of merely making up the numbers.
Germany, Ecuador and Ivory Coast await in what many consider a difficult group. Yet the atmosphere inside the sold-out stadium reflected a growing belief that Curaçao can compete and perhaps even surprise some of football's traditional powers.
As the final whistle sounded and supporters celebrated long after the match ended, one message became clear: Curaçao is ready.
The World Cup adventure is about to begin.