A virtuoso performance from Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room means Ecuador’s hopes of qualifying for the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup (WC) are now in doubt after they failed to score again and were held to a goalless draw in Kansas City as the Caribbean nation picked up a first-ever WC point in the process.
The best chance of the first half came after just three minutes, with Enner Valencia latching onto a long ball and making space for himself in the box, but his shot was brilliantly saved by Room. Sherel Floranus then fired wide in a rare attack for Curaçao, before John Yeboah went on a mazy dribble and tested Room once more.
Pedro Vite then curled just wide from the edge of the box, before Room was called into action once more by denying Valencia from close range. Gonzalo Plata and Yeboah also made Room work before HT, while Hernán Galíndez’s only save was an easy one from Livano Comenencia, who scored Curaçao’s historic first-ever WC goal in their 7-1 drubbing by Germany.
Ecuador continued to dominate in the second half and Moisés Caicedo tried his luck from distance, but Room was yet again equal to the effort. Plata also struck over from a tight angle, and then forced the Miami FC stopper to parry away his close-range header from a corner. Curaçao were doing well to stay in the game and almost nicked the lead themselves when Galíndez made a smart double stop to deny Leandro Bacuna and Comenencia. Both goalkeepers were busy in quick succession as Room brought up double figures for saves in the match, scrambling away Valencia’s far-post header before stopping Kevin Rodríguez’s header from the resulting corner.
Room was channeling his inner Vozinha with a man-of-the-match performance, as he got down well to deny another Ecuador substitute in Nilson Angulo. Piero Hincapié really should have done better with his header from the resulting corner, as he directed it over from just a few yards out.
Curaçao still posed a threat on the break though and Juninho Bacuna was the latest to test Galíndez, with his deflected effort palmed away. Angulo then had another go from distance, but once more Room was equal to his strike. Ángelo Preciado’s cross also brushed the crossbar late on, but The Blue Wave’s goal would simply not be breached.
After six of their WC qualifiers finished goalless, Ecuador’s toothlessness in front of goal ultimately cost them again as they had to settle for just a point. That means they are now winless in four WC matches (D2, L2) and will likely have to beat Germany in their final group game to progress to the knockouts.
After shipping seven goals to the Germans on their WC debut, Curaçao will be delighted with the clean sheet and a first-ever point at the WC finals, and should they beat Ivory Coast on matchday three, they will likely advance to the knockouts and write another piece of history.
