06/20/26 09:10:00
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06/20 21:08 CDT Curacao's Eloy Room makes 15 saves, sends island nation to 0-0
draw with Ecuador in World Cup
Curacao's Eloy Room makes 15 saves, sends island nation to 0-0 draw with
Ecuador in World Cup
By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) --- Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room made 15 saves against a
relentless Ecuador attack, allowing The Blue Wave to earn a 0-0 draw against
the heavily favored La Tri on Saturday night and earn the tiny island nation
its first-ever World Cup point.
The outcome also allowed Germany, which beat Ivory Coast earlier in the day, to
clinch Group E.
The 37-year-old Room, whose shutout of Jamaica last November sent Curacao to
its first World Cup, bounced back from a 7-1 loss to Germany with one of the
finest performances by a goalkeeper in World Cup history. His save total was
one shy of the record --- since saves became an official stat in 1966 --- of 16
set by Tim Howard of the U.S. against Belgium on July 1, 2014.
The draw doesn't eliminate either team from knockout play, but it put Ecuador
in dire shape going into its group finale. Those matches take place Thursday
with Curacao facing Ivory Coast in Philadelphia and Ecuador playing Germany in
New York.
Ecuador certainly had a home-field advantage Saturday night at the home of the
Kansas City Chiefs. Its fanbase, dressed like its players in bright yellow
shirts, filled the stadium to the brim, making it look like a convention of
Minions. There was only a couple of small pockets of blue-clad Curacao fans in
a stadium whose capacity could house half of its island citizenry.
Among those in the crowd were Kansas City Royals players Bobby Witt Jr.,
Salvador Perez and Starling Marte.
The pressure mounted on Ecuador earlier Saturday, when Deniz Undav's goal in
stoppage time gave Germany a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast. The outcome of that
match in Toronto meant that La Tri faced World Cup elimination with a loss to
The Blue Wave.
Curacao made sure the pressure continued once play began.
Throughout the first half, 78-year-old coach Dick Advocaat's team kept finding
seams through the middle of the Ecuadorean defense, creating open looks at the
goal. But each time, Curacao would end the runs with a sloppy pass or a shot
wide of net.
Ecuador wasted its best scoring chance in the opening minutes, when World Cup
veteran Enner Valencia found nothing between him and the goalkeeper. But Room
guessed right, dived to his left and deflected the shot to keep the game
scoreless.
The relentless pressure of La Tri picked up in the second half --- and each
time, Room was standing in the way.
Moises Caicedo forced him into making a spectacular save early on, then
Valencia did the same with a well-placed header that Room knocked wide. On the
ensuing corner kick, Room made two more sensational saves before Curacao
finally cleared it.
It was that kind of night for Room. And that kind of night for Ecuador.
___
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
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