Our prediction for this World Cup 2026 match:
Curacao will be aiming to overcome a one-goal deficit in the tie against Panama when the two teams face each other at Stadion Ergilio Hato on Wednesday morning. Curacao face a must-win situation in the return leg, and we are positive that they will go all guns blazing at Panama. Former Aston Villa midfielder Leandro Bacuna will be the man to watch in the home team.
Los Canaleros, on the other hand, are likely to adopt a cautious approach in the return leg. Panama have been in a splendid form of late, which is the main reason why we predict they will win this double-header. A close encounter is on the cards at Stadio Ergilio Hato, and we believe that punters can find value in betting on draw. Cecilio Waterman, who found the net in the first leg, is pushing for a start.
Highlighted Player (Leandro Bacuna):
Despite being born in Netherlands Leandro Bacuna decided to represent Curacao on international stage. The powerful midfielder, who parents are of Curacaoan descent, is a product of Groningen youth school and it has to be noted that he scored 14 goals in 109 appearances for the first team.
After ending his spell with Groningen, Leandro Bacuna joined Aston Villa in 2013 and he has been playing for the Villa Park outfit ever since. The Curacao international scored his first Premier League goal in September, 2013 against Manchester City, but seeing that Aston Villa coaches often used him as a full back he was not impressive in front of goal in previous seasons.
Leandro Bacuna was born in Groningen on August 21, 1991 and it has to be noted that he received his first call-up for the Curacao national football team 25 years later, in March 2016. The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in San Salvador, with Bacuna picking up a yellow card in the 54th minute of the game.
Highlighted Team (Panama):
Norway are a Nordic side that participated three times at the FIFA World Cup finals (1938, 1994 and 1998). The Norwegians were producing fine performances at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, with the team setting up a meeting with Italy in the last 16 of the showpiece tournament thanks to a 2-1 win over Brazil in their last group match.
However, the Azzurri proved to be a big catch for Norway and thanks to Bobo Vieri’s goal the Italians made it to the quarter-finals. Norway only once qualified for the European Championship finals, with the team suffering elimination in the group stages of the 2000 tournament in Belgium and Netherlands. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is the most famous Norwegian player and it is well known that he helped Manchester United beat Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final.
The “Baby-faced” striker scored the winner for the Red Devils in the dying seconds of the match. Norway play their home games at Ullevaal Stadion, which was opened in September, 1926. The capacity of the venue is 28.000.