Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room set a new World Cup record with 15 saves in a 90-minute match (excluding extra time) as Ecuador were held to a 0-0 draw in Kansas City. The result leaves Ecuador’s knockout stage hopes in serious doubt and hands Curacao their first-ever point at a World Cup finals.
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The clearest opening came inside the first three minutes when Enner Valencia latched onto a long ball, created space inside the box, and drew a brilliant stop from Room. Sherel Floranus fired wide in a rare Curacao attack before John Yeboah went on a direct dribble and tested Room again. Pedro Vite curled just wide from the edge of the area, and Room was called into action once more, this time denying Valencia at close range. Gonzalo Plata and Yeboah also made the goalkeeper work before the break, while Hernan Galindez at the other end was barely troubled, dealing comfortably with the only effort from Livano Comenencia, who had scored Curacao’s historic first-ever World Cup goal in their 7-1 defeat to Germany.
Ecuador continued to press after the break. Moises Caicedo tried his luck from distance, and Room was equal to it. Plata struck over from a tight angle and then forced the Miami FC stopper to parry away a close-range header from a corner. Curacao stayed compact and nearly punished their opponents on the counter, with Galindez making a smart double stop to deny Leandro Bacuna and Comenencia.
Both goalkeepers were busy in quick succession as Room pushed past double figures for saves, scrambling away Valencia’s far-post header before stopping Kevin Rodriguez’s effort from the resulting corner. Room then got down well to deny substitute Nilson Angulo, and Piero Hincapie wasted a glaring opportunity with a header that he directed over from just yards out.
Curacao continued to threaten on the break. Juninho Bacuna’s deflected effort was palmed away by Galindez, and Angulo tried again from distance only to be denied by Room once more. Angelo Preciado’s late cross brushed the crossbar, but The Blue Wave held firm to the final whistle.
Six of Ecuador’s World Cup qualifiers ended goalless, and that same bluntness in front of goal cost them here. They are now winless in four World Cup matches (D2, L2) and will almost certainly need to beat Germany in their final group game to advance to the knockouts.
After conceding seven goals to Germany on their World Cup debut, Curacao will take enormous satisfaction from a clean sheet and a historic first finals point. Should they beat Ivory Coast on matchday three, they could advance to the knockout stage and produce another piece of Caribbean football history.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Eloy Room (Curacao)
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