Curacao’s national side turned a Concacaf Nations League night into a one-sided Caribbean statement, sweeping Nicaragua aside 6-1 to make it two victories from two and move within reach of the quarter-finals.
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Livano Comenencia set Curacao on its way in the sixth minute, striking right-footed after Nicaragua had only partially cleared. Kenji Gorre doubled the advantage five minutes later as Curacao took command early.
The third arrived in the 19th minute, Leandro Bacuna heading in, before his brother Juninho Bacuna added another from a rehearsed throw-in routine. Gorre then completed his brace shortly before the interval: he collected Comenencia’s pass, brought it under control with his right foot and finished calmly to send Curacao into half-time leading 5-0.
Nicaragua found one moment of quality after the restart. Jaime Moreno struck left-footed from outside the penalty area, reducing the deficit with one of the evening’s standout finishes.
There was no late route back, however. Substitute Jurgen Locadia supplied Curacao’s sixth in the 88th minute, converting with his right foot from the middle of the box.
The result leaves Curacao on six points after two outings, alongside Haiti as a side well placed to reach the last eight. Nicaragua, meanwhile, have little margin left after suffering a second group-stage defeat.
The remaining Group A schedule
Nicaragua had already lost 3-2 to the Dominican Republic in their opening match. With only two fixtures remaining under the competition format, their chances of taking one of Group A’s two quarter-final places have become extremely slim.
Juan Cruz Real’s team will host Costa Rica in Managua on Thursday, 1 October, then conclude the group phase at home against the Dominican Republic on Sunday, 4 October.
Nicaragua are competing in League A, the top tier of the Concacaf Nations League, in a section also containing Costa Rica, Curacao, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Trinidad and Tobago.
