June 21, 2026
Curacao found a comfort level in their second-ever World Cup match, pulling off a 0-0 tie with Ecuador behind the play of goalkeeper Eloy Room to earn the country's first-ever point in a Group E match on Saturday night in Kansas City.
Room made 15 saves, just shy of the record 16 made by the United States' Tim Howard in a 2014 World Cup match against Belgium. The effort -- a World Cup record for a 90-minute match -- helped Curacao rebound from a 7-1 loss to Germany in their World Cup debut last Sunday.
At the final whistle, Room went to his knees, and the 37-year-old bowed his head onto the turf in relief.
Ecuador's disappointing World Cup run continued with a second consecutive scoreless match. They lost to Ivory Coast 1-0 on Sunday.
