Curacao’s late equalizer earns draw with Canada
(image via Canada Soccer)
Group B action in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup continued on Saturday night at Shell Energy Stadium with a doubleheader of matches. Two unbeaten teams locked horns in the first match of the night. Canada, coming off a big 6-0 win over Honduras in their first match, took on Curacao, who picked up a point in a 0-0 draw with El Salvador.
Canada jumped out of the gate early on the attack and grabbed an early goal. A foul just outside the box, and yellow card on Leandro Bacuna, gave Canada a dangerous free kick. Jayden Nelson chipped the ball into the box and it was headed toward the top of the box by the Curacao defense. Midfielder Nathan Saliba tracked the ball perfectly and his first-time volley beat goalkeeper Eloy Room to give Canada the 1-0 lead after just 9 minutes.
The Canadians stayed on the front foot but Curacao tried to take advantage of their limited opportunities. A set piece into the box, in the 17th minute, was headed on goal by Leandro Bacuna but Canada goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair did well to get up and punch the ball over the net. The resulting corner was then headed off target by Roshon van Eijma, over the bar.
Curacao had their best chance of the first half as it came to a close. A ball into the box found striker Jurgen Locadia with a good look on goal but the dragged his shot wide. The teams went to the break with Canada holding on to their 1-0 lead.
The game slowed down a lot in the second half as the Houston heat seemed to take its toll on both teams. Curacao still got on the ball and stayed on the attack and it looked to have paid off in the 66th minute.
Locadia got behind the Canada defense and laced a left-footed shot past St. Clair to bring the match level. Or, so Curacao thought. The referee held the kickoff and after a lenghty delay raised his hand for offside and disallowed the goal.
In the 80th minute, Curacao wanted a penalty kick after a shot in the box was deflected away. A much shorter VAR check ensued this time with no penalty given. Curacao wanted another penalty in the 83rd minute but after a bizarre sequence and the referee talking with players and the match official, no penalty was given and the match restarted with a drop ball. That drop ball was then fired into the box where Curacao headed in what looked like another equalizer. The flag went up immediately for offside and Canada’s 1-0 lead stood.
Just when it looked like Canada would win the match, Curacao finally found their tying goal. Jeremy Antonisse broke in behind the defense with space in front of him. He drove into the box and beat St. Clair in the 4th minute of second half stoppage time to level the match at 1-1.
Canada now has four points from their two matches and stay top of Group B. Curacao has two points after their second straight draw. Canada can still win the group with a win over El Salvador in their final group stage match. Curacao will be looking for a win as well, over Honduras, to join Canada in the quarterfinals.
