Curacao secured promotion to League A and direct qualification for next year’s Concacaf Gold Cup after they topped Group B of League B in the Concacaf Nations League action on Monday. 

The Dutch-speaking Caribbean Island bettered St Lucia 4-1 in their top-of-the-table clash at the Ergilio Hato Stadium in Willemstad, Curaçao.

Gervane Kastaneer opened the scoring in the 27th with a tidy finish on the volley as he connected well from Jearl Margaritha’s weighted cross.

St Lucia pulled level in the 29th courtesy of Ryan Charles, who won possession at the top of the penalty area and finished at close range.

However, Kastaneer grabbed his brace to put Curacao back on top as he produced another decent close range finish to make it 2-1 at the break.

Any hopes St Lucia had of a comeback were dashed in the 73rd when Juninho Bacuna displayed nippy footwork to dismiss markers and slot home.

Bacuna then completed his brace and Curacao’s rout when he fired home in the 79th to secure their promotion to League A and, by extension, a berth in the Gold Cup.

They topped the group with 13 points, four more than St Lucia (nine points), while Grenada, who were 3-0 winners over St Martin in the other group contest, ended on seven points.

Rahim Dennis (39th) and Keelan Lebon (87th and 90+3) sealed Grenada’s win against St Martin to ensure they stay up in League B for another edition.

By virtue of that loss, St Martin, who finished last on the four-team standings on six points, have been relegated to League C for the next edition of the Nations League.

Haiti and St Lucia maintained pole position in their respective League B groups as they registered their second win of the Concacaf Nations League campaign, while Curacao and Puerto Rico notched their first victories on Monday.

St Lucia edged Grenada 2-1, while Curacao blanked St Martin 4-0 in the Group B double-header at Kirani James Athletics Stadium in St. George's.

With the win, St Lucia moved to six points as Curacao rose to second on three points, same as Grenada, who slipped to third. St Martin is the only team in the group yet to get on the board.

Meanwhile, Haiti hammered St Maarten 6-0 and Puerto Rico clipped Aruba 1-0 in their Group C encounters at Estadio Centroamericano in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.

Haiti now sit on six points and Puerto Rico inched up to second on three points, same as third-placed St Maarten, while Aruba remains at the foot of the standing without a point.

Curacao vs. St Martin

Curacao’s clinical victory over St Martin, kept their hopes of League A promotion alive.

Juninho Bacuna opened the scoring in the 10th minute when he outpaced defenders and slotted home on a transition play.

Gervane Kastaneer doubled the lead in the 13th when he converted on a second attempt after his initial shot was blocked.

Leandro Bacuna added a third in the 48th with a firm finish from deep inside the 18-yard box, before Joshua Zimmerman headed home from a weighted cross in the 65th minute to cap the win.

Haiti vs. St Maarten

Favoured to top Group C and reclaim their rightful spot in League A, Haiti moved closer to achieving the feat with another dominant performance.

Duckens Nazon led from the front with a second half hat-trick, while substitute Mikael Cantave had a brace.

Attys Christopher opened the scoring in the 40th when he headed home from a corner kick.

From there, it became the Nazon show, as he also headed home in the 59th minute, with his second and third coming in the 75th and 82nd minutes, respectively.

Cantave chipped in with strikes in the 77th and 85th minutes as St Martin had no response to the onslaught.

Grenada vs. Saint Lucia

This was always expected to be a close contest and it lived up to its billing with St Lucia denying their host.

Christian Forino Joseph broke the deadlock for St Lucia in the 13th when he got on the end of Alvinus Myers’ well-weighted corner kick.

Donavan Jn Baptiste then capitalised on Grenada’s defensive error to double the lead in the 21st minute.

Grenada pulled one back in the 51st courtesy of Lucas Akins.

St Lucia’s goalkeeper Vino Barclett was instrumental in his team’s victory as he pulled off six saves to deny Grenada an equalizer.

Aruba vs. Puerto Rico

Leandro Antonetti was the hero for host Puerto Rico in a tightly contested encounter.

Antonetti found the winner in the 73rd with a firm header to break their opponent’s hearts.