* Coach Dick Advocaat urges Curaçao to stay positive after heavy defeat
* Dick Advocaat looks back on Curaçao’s historic World Cup debut and fan support
* The coach believes that Curaçao can create a surprise in the next matches
Curacao’s players have no reason to be dejected after Germany’s 7-1 rout in the small nation’s World Cup debut on Sunday, and they still have an opportunity to succeed in their tournament, said coach Dick Advocaat.
The 78-year-old Dutchman said his players did not expect such a result, but admitted his team had conceded easy goals in the Caribbean nation’s first appearance at a World Cup.
“We have to turn this into a great tournament,” said Dick Advocaat. “We can spring a surprise in the second and third matches. In the end, we will be happy to have participated in the biggest football tournament in the world.”
Germany’s Felix Nmecha scored the quickest goal of the tournament and the four-time world champions continued to score, but Curacao gave their fans something to cheer about when Livano Comenencia’s deflected shot beat goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to level the score at 1-1.
In the end, Germany proved to be too strong, but their players have nothing to be ashamed of according to the Curaçao coach.
“We hoped to do better against Germany, but we couldn’t,” he said. “They were very, very strong and we conceded easy goals.”
“The players know that if they lose, they shouldn’t let it get them down. It’s not a shame.”
Dick Advocaat also saluted the supporters who had made the trip and who continued to encourage their team even when the score continued to increase.
He also said he had to return to his bench when the national anthem sounded, because the moment was too emotional for him.
“This is linked to the joy of the people of Curaçao,” he said. “That’s where the emotions come to the surface. The joy of the people is fantastic.”
(Reportage Michael Kahn ; version française Jérôme Terroy )
