Ecuador 0 – 0 Curaçao

Match Report

Eloy Room turned in one of the great individual World Cup performances and walked away with nothing but a clean sheet. The 37-year-old, who plies his trade for USL side Miami FC after a career that took in PSV's Eredivisie title, 250-plus appearances at Vitesse, and an MLS Cup with Columbus Crew, made 16 saves to keep Ecuador off the scoresheet entirely — tying the World Cup single-match record set by Tim Howard against Belgium in 2014, a mark that had itself broken Ramon Quiroga's 14-save effort against the Netherlands in 1978. It started inside three minutes, when he denied Enner Valencia clean through on goal, and it never let up: a parried header off Gonzalo Plata from a corner in the 69th minute, a 15th save in the 79th getting across to deny Pervis Estupiñán's countryman Ángulo from outside the box, and a 16th credited by FIFA's official match data for dealing with a deflected cross.

Ecuador finished with 27 shots and an expected-goals tally of 3.05 — numbers that in almost any other match translate into a comfortable win — and somehow had nothing to show for it. There was a brief scare at the other end too, around the hour mark, when Curaçao nearly snatched a shock lead of their own before a double save from Ecuador's goalkeeper kept the score level. Substitute Jhojan Preciado came closest to finally breaking through, crashing a shot off the crossbar in the 90th minute, but Room and Curaçao's back line held to the final whistle.

The draw leaves both sides with work to do. Ecuador, who lost their opener 1-0 to Ivory Coast, now must beat Germany in the final round simply to keep their qualification hopes alive. Curaçao, beaten 7-1 by Germany in their own opener, can still reach the knockout stage for the first time in their history with a win over Ivory Coast — a target that, on this evidence, suddenly looks far less fanciful than it did a week ago.

Match Timeline

• 3'🧤Room save (CUW) — Denies Enner Valencia clean through on goal.
• ~60'🧤Double save at the other end (ECU) — Ecuador's goalkeeper denies Curaçao a shock lead.
• 69'🧤Room save (CUW) — Parries a Gonzalo Plata header from a corner.
• 79'🏆Room's 15th save (CUW) — Gets across to deny Ángulo's drive from outside the box. His 16th of the night — a deflected cross — ties the World Cup single-match save record.
• 90'🥅Preciado off the crossbar (ECU) — Substitute's effort agonizingly clears the bar.
• 90+'🏁Full Time: Ecuador 0-0 Curaçao. 27 shots, 3.05 xG, no goals for Ecuador.

Three Things We Learned

1. Eloy Room Just Wrote Himself Into World Cup History

A USL goalkeeper outdueling a 27-shot Ecuador attack and tying a record held since 2014 is the kind of story this tournament exists to produce. Whatever happens next for Curaçao, Room has a permanent line in the World Cup record books.

2. Ecuador's Profligacy Has a Worrying Pattern

Eight scoreless draws in eighteen qualifiers wasn't a one-off quirk — it's a recurring problem, and it just cost them a near-certain three points against a team they should beat comfortably. Beccacece now needs his attack to find a finishing touch fast.

3. Curaçao's Knockout Dream Is Alive

A point on the road against a side that out-shot them 27-0-something is exactly the kind of result a debutant nation builds belief on. Beat Ivory Coast next and the smallest nation at this World Cup reaches the knockout stage.

Player Ratings

🇨🇼 Curaçao

🇪🇨 Ecuador

Match Stats

• Shots (Ecuador)27
• Expected goals (Ecuador)3.05
• Saves — Eloy Room16 (TIES WC RECORD)
• Attendance68,598
• VenueGEHA Field at Arrowhead, Kansas City

Group E — After MD2 (Matches 034 & 035)

Germany have already secured the Round of 32. Ecuador edge Curaçao on goal difference despite identical records — both now need results in the final round, with Ecuador facing Germany and Curaçao facing Ivory Coast.