'They fought like lions': Advocaat proud after Curacao battle to World Cup point

[p]The former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/netherlands/WYintcWb/"]Netherlands[/a] coach said the result, secured thanks to ‌goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/room-eloy/QkUYeBt5/"]Eloy Room[/a]'s 15 saves, was reward for supporters who never ‌lost faith despite a bruising 7-1 defeat by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/germany/ptQide1O/"]Germany[/a] in their World Cup debut ‌six days earlier.[/p][p][b]"The people on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/curacao/bLLGpOkQ/"]Curacao[/a] have given us their support ‌from the outset,"[/b] Advocaat said. [b]"Particularly last week, after the 7-1, people were still celebrating on the island and people were full of joy.[/b][/p][p][b]"It was a mad house tonight. ‌So I think that for people whose life is ⁠not always that easy, I really ‌wish them to celebrate this success."[/b][/p][embed guid="eee7d11d-de7f-4e0a-bf78-f65a584bfacc" url="https://x.com/FIFAWorldCup/status/2068518408849641600" social-type="twitter" /][p]Advocaat said the warm reception the players received ​after the loss to Germany had left a lasting impression and helped fuel their response against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ecuador/8tbm8Tri/"]Ecuador[/a].[/p][p]And while he had been teary-eyed ​during the Germany game, the 78-year-old coach was relatively calm on Saturday.[/p][p][b]"Today I wasn't that emotional, not like during the first match, not at all ⁠today, because I felt ​that we were properly playing the match, and then you don't have to become emotional,"[/b] he said.[/p][p][b]"What did evoke emotions during the first match was the fact that we had lost 7-1 and that the audience was so enthusiastic ‌in welcoming the players. Usually, you're (criticised) in such a case, but the opposite happened.[/b][/p][p][b]"(The team) gave it back to the audience today. I thought that was a wonderful moment to experience."[/b][/p][image alt="Group E standings" id="a0dc7ee9-d420-4ea8-a691-b933a7e686ad" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="18c2cc6d-e5b7-44e3-992b-88ec6e26b5ea" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]For many observers, Curacao's opening rout appeared to confirm fears that FIFA's expanded 48-team tournament would produce a string of one-sided contests.[/p][p]Advocaat, however, said his side's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/curacao-bLLGpOkQ/ecuador-8tbm8Tri/?mid=p2XLmuKP"]performance against Ecuador[/a] showed the true level of his players.[/p][p][b]"Maybe Germany came too early,"[/b] he said. [b]"That day they were simply out of our league, but today the team was standing ‌as it should have been standing.[/b][/p][p][b]"They were fighting like lions and then you ​see what you can achieve against a team that's playing on ‌a very high level with very high individual levels of the players."[/b][/p][p]And with Curacao still alive heading into their final group game, Advocaat had a message for those celebrating back home.[/p][p][b]"What I would say to the people? Keep supporting us, keep helping us. It gives us ⁠wings,"[/b] he said. [b]"We fight for the ⁠country."[/b][/p][p]Curacao play [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ivory-coast/G2FRjBgn/"]Ivory Coast[/a] in ‌their final Group E game while Ecuador face Germany.[/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /]