Honduras 0, Curacao 1 | 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup Match Recap

History was made on Friday in the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup, as Curacao upset Honduras 1-0 at BBVA Stadium, scoring their first goal and posting their first win in Gold Cup history in the process.

In Curacao's second tournament appearance in the Gold Cup era, they built on the experience from the 2017 tournament and their opening match this time around to post a huge result in their program's history. Honduras, on the other hand, have been eliminated from advancing to the knockout stage, a shock exit for one of the region's perennial contenders.

Honduras peppered Curacao's goal with shots, but goalkeeper Eloy Room was up to the test, making seven saves in the first half. And that effort propelled his teammates on, as Leandro Bacuna opened the scoring for Curacao against the run of play, with a wicked one-timer off a low cross in the 40th minute.

Honduras didn't give up and continued to pile the pressure on Curacao, and thought they tied up the game just before the hour through Rubilio Castillo, but the goal was waved off due to an offside call in the buildup. Curacao had a great chance to ice the result late, but a last-ditch tackle kept Honduras' hopes alive. But it wasn't to be as the Caribbean nation pulled off the win.

Goals

• 40' – CUW – Leandro Bacuna | WATCH

Three Things 

THE BIG PICTURE: After a brutal group-stage draw in the 2017 Gold Cup, Curacao had a much more favorable slate this time around, and have been up for the occasion. They can still advance, too, if they beat Jamaica in the next match. For Honduras, crashing out in the group stage in just two games is a major disappointment, even if they were unlucky in this particular match.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH
: The defense did the dirty work to fire Curacao to the win, but scoring your nation's first goal at a Gold Cup is a moment to remember long after this tournament.

MAN OF THE MATCH: No surprise, Eloy Room deserves the plaudits and probably a dinner or two covered as reward for a huge performance, highlighted by a staggering 13 saves to hold Honduras back.

Next Up

• HON: Tuesday, June 25 vs. El Salvador (10:30 pm ET | FS1, UniMás, UDN) | Gold Cup
• CUW: Tuesday, June 25 vs. Jamaica (8 pm ET | FS1, UniMás, UDN) | Gold Cup