AP
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Curaçao salvaged a 0-0 draw with Jamaica on Tuesday to develop into the smallest nation by population to qualify for a World Cup and will likely be joined by CONCACAF sides Panama and Haiti which additionally booked their spots.
Curaçao completed as the one undefeated nation within the event and completed atop of Group B with 12 factors to advance to the World Cup for the primary time in its history.
Curaçao received the historic end result it wanted regardless of not having coach Dick Advocaat on the bench. The 78-year-old Advocaat missed the essential match as a result of he had to return to the Netherlands final weekend for household causes.
Advocaat was on the helm of the Netherlands nationwide group for three stints and managed South Korea, Belgium and Russia earlier than taking the job with Curacao.
According to the Central Bureau of Statistics in Curaçao, the nation has a population of 156,115 individuals as of final January. Iceland, with a population of simply over 350,000 was the smallest nation to attain the World Cup when it certified for the event in Russia in 2018.
Panama superior to its second World Cup after defeating El Salvador 3-0 on first-half objectives from Cesar Blackman (17) and Erick Davis (45). Jose Luis Rodriguez (85) added a objective for the Panamanians, who’ve Russia 2018 as their solely World Cup look.
Panama completed as the very best group in Group A with 12 factors whereas Suriname, which got here into the final spherical main the way in which on objective distinction, misplaced 3-1 in opposition to Guatemala and completed in second place with 9 factors.
Haiti, a troubled Caribbean nation, had a stunning marketing campaign successful Group C over favorites Honduras and Costa Rica after beating Nicaragua 2-1.
Loicious Deedson opened the scoring within the ninth minute and Ruben Providence added a objective within the forty fifth. Haiti’s solely earlier journey to the World Cup was in Germany in 1974.
The Haitians completed with 11 factors whereas Honduras had 9 and Costa Rica completed with seven.