Curaçao made historical past in Group E of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, holding Ecuador to a goalless draw due to a heroic efficiency from 37-year-old Eloy Room.
Softfootball gathered that The Miami FC keeper matched Tim Howard’s file of 15 saves in a World Cup sport, however in contrast to Howard’s 2014 effort, Room stored a clear sheet.
His first save got here simply three minutes in towards Enner Valencia, setting the tone for an evening of defiance. Room denied John Yeboah, Moisés Caicedo, Pedro Vite, Kevin Rodriguez, Nilson Angulo, and Gonzalo Plata amongst others, irritating Ecuador’s 27 makes an attempt.
Curaçao even threatened on the hour mark when Leandro Bacuna compelled a save, whereas Livano Comenencia additionally examined Hernán Galíndez. Ecuador, wasteful in entrance of purpose, should now beat group winners Germany to progress, whereas Curaçao who misplaced 7-1 to Germany of their first sport might qualify in the event that they defeat Ivory Coast of their ultimate match.
Participant Scores
Ecuador
| Participant | Ranking |
|---|---|
| Hernán Galíndez | 6 |
| Piero Hincapié | 7 |
| Willian Pacho | 7 |
| Alan Franco | 7 |
| Jordy Alcívar | 5 |
| Pervis Estupiñán | 5 |
| Moisés Caicedo | 8 |
| Pedro Vite | 7 |
| John Yeboah | 6 |
| Enner Valencia | 5 |
| Gonzalo Plata | 7 |
| Subs: Kevin Rodriguez (7), Nilson Angulo (5), Ángelo Preciado (6), Jordy Caicedo (N/A) |
Curaçao
| Participant | Ranking |
|---|---|
| Eloy Room | 9 (Man of the Match) |
| Deveron Fonville | 7 |
| Sherel Floranus | 7 |
| Armando Obispo | 7 |
| Jurien Gaari | 7 |
| Joshua Brenet | 8 |
| Juninho Bacuna | 6 |
| Leandro Bacuna | 6 |
| Livano Comenencia | 6 |
| Tahith Chong | 8 |
| Jurgen Locadia | 6 |
Match Statistics
| Statistic | Ecuador | Curaçao |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 64% | 36% |
| Whole Pictures | 27 | 6 |
| Pictures on Goal | 7 | 2 |
| Anticipated Objectives (xG) | 2.34 | 0.58 |
| Fouls Dedicated | 11 | 9 |
| Yellow Playing cards | 2 | 2 |
| Purple Playing cards | 0 | 0 |
| Corners | 9 | 3 |
| Saves | 2 | 15 |
