FIFA World Cup: Ecuador hold Curaçao for 0-0 draw
What's the story
In a stunning display of defensive prowess, Curacao held Ecuador to a goalless draw in their FIFA World Cup Group E match at Missouri's Kansas City Stadium. The result gave the island nation its first-ever point at the tournament. The hero of the match was Curacao's goalkeeper Eloy Room, who made an incredible 15 saves against Ecuador's attacks. This is now the highest number of saves ever recorded in a single 90-minute World Cup match.
Record achievement
Room falls 1 save short of Tim Howard's record
Room's 15 saves not only earned him the FIFA Man of the Match title but also put him just one save away from breaking the all-time World Cup record of 16 saves. The record was set by US goalkeeper Tim Howard against Belgium on July 1, 2014. This remarkable feat comes after Room had helped his country qualify for their first-ever World Cup by keeping a clean sheet against Jamaica last November.
Match highlights
Room denies Valencia as Curacao hold on
Ecuador, backed by a sea of yellow in the stands, knew that a loss could severely dent their chances after Germany's late win over Ivory Coast. The pressure was on throughout the match as Curacao held its ground. In the first half, they exploited gaps in Ecuador's defense but poor finishing kept them from scoring. Valencia had a golden opportunity to score for Ecuador, but Room was quick to deny him with a brilliant save.
Match outcome
Historic point for Curacao at their maiden World Cup
Ecuador kept pushing for a goal in the second half, but Room was up to the task, making several key saves. The match ended in a frustrating draw for Ecuador, who couldn't break down Room despite creating plenty of chances. For Curacao, it was a historic moment as they secured their first point at a FIFA World Cup and kept their hopes alive heading into the final group game.
Stats
Here are the match stats
From 26 attempts, Ecuador recorded as many as 15 shots on target, but none were converted into a goal. Curaçao also made 10 attempts but managed just four strikes on target. Ecuador had a 75% ball possession in the high-voltage game. They completed 593 passes with a sensational 92% accuracy. Curaçao's passes count was 221. Their accuracy was 68%.