Curaçao stand firm and claim historic first World Cup point against Ecuador

HERO: Player of the match Eloy Room collects the ball as Curacao make history. Picture: Charlotte Wilson/Getty

It’s doubtful whether many Ecuador supporters – or many others for that matter – had ever heard the name Eloy Room before this match. They will never forget it now.

Watched by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands in the stands, the Curaçao goalkeeper etched his name into the pantheon of World Cup legends with what must rank as one of the most heroic performances in the long history of the competition.

Room – a 37-year-old who has spent most of his career sitting on the bench for clubs in the Eredivisie – came within one save of breaking Tim Howard’s all-time record of 16 in a single men’s World Cup game from 2014, although that included a period of extra time. It earned the nation with the smallest population ever to make it to a finals a first ever point on their World Cup debut against highly-rated opponents, as Dick Advocaat’s side recovered from their 7-1 thrashing against Germany a few days ago in some style.

“I still have to process it myself,” admitted a delighted Room, who revealed that he had received a congratulatory kiss from Queen Máxima in the changing room afterwards. “I’m a bit annoyed that I didn’t get the record in the end but I think Tim Howard was sweating on it a bit.”

Advocaat, who stepped down in February due to his daughter’s health concerns before returning last month and who is already the oldest manager ever at a World Cup finals, was in tears at the final whistle. “I’m so proud,” he added. “We have come from nothing and they fought like lions. It will be a big party on the island tonight and they deserve it.” 

For Ecuador, who left the field to jeers from their fans as Curaçao’s players congratulated theirs, it was another performance to forget and they know they must beat Germany in their final match to stand any chance of progressing. “There are things you cannot explain in football – we’ve had 27 shots on goal but we couldn’t score,” said their coach Sebastián Beccacece. “It is normal to feel this pain but we still have a chance to put things right.”

The thumping against Julian Nagelsmann’s side had not dampened the spirit of the partying Curaçao supporters, with as many as 5% of the country’s 160,000 population estimated to have travelled to the United States. They more than held their own in the pre-match decibel challenge at the self-styled loudest stadium in the world that usually hosts serial Super Bowl winners the Kansas City Chiefs.

But the section of blue-shirted fans who brought their own brass band to perform the national anthem before kick-off were totally outnumbered by an expectant Ecuadorian crowd boosted by a large local expat population, who were desperate to make amends for their surprise defeat to Côte d’Ivoire that ended a 19-match unbeaten run.

Their stylish coach Beccacece – a long-haired Argentinian who started his career with the youth teams at Lionel Messi’s childhood club, Newell’s Old Boys, and is a disciple of the legendary Jorge Sampaoli – had urged against complacency as they prepared to face a side ranked 83rd by Fifa. “We are not Germany,” he warned beforehand.

With a team packed full of players starring for top European clubs, including Arsenal’s Piero Hincapié and Willian Pacho of Paris Saint-Germain in defence, La Tri were widely tipped to do well here after finishing second in South American qualifying.

Enner Valencia should have settled their nerves inside the open two minutes when the veteran former West Ham striker raced through in goal. But Room – who earned himself a move to second-tier side Miami FC off the back of his performances in qualifying – produced an exceptional save to push his shot around the post.

Having been treated to an impressive 5-1 victory over Sweden by Ronald Koeman’s side in Houston a few hours earlier, King Willem may have feared the worst for the territory less than 40 miles from the South American coast that was first colonised by the Dutch in the 17th century. Yet Curaçao showed they are not here just to make up the numbers as a driving run from Sheffield United’s Tahith Chong – the only member of Curaçao’s squad who was born on the island and sporting his own distinctive haircut for the occasion – lifted the tempo before Juninho Bacuna shot wide.

Advocaat was further encouraged by the space his side were finding down the flanks as Ecuador’s wing-backs pushed high up the pitch. The frustration was starting to grow for Beccacece after Pedro Vite curled wide and some slack passing undermined his side’s dominance of possession. Valencia and John Yeboah both tested Room just before the break but the goalkeeper was again equal to their efforts.

It was up to Ecuador to significantly raise their game and Beccacece hauled off Jordy Alcívar for the second half after he had picked up a booking and replaced him with Kevin Rodríguez. Room resumed where he left off by making a routine save from Moisés Caicedo before somehow stopping a goalbound header from a corner that deflected off his own player.

Curaçao’s discipline began to wane as they were pushed back but they continued to look dangerous on the break. A brilliant backheel from Bacuna set up his older brother and captain Leandro and Hernán Galíndez ended up having to make a triple save from Livano Comenencia and then Jürgen Locadia.

Room took centre stage yet again moments later when Rodriguez powered a header on target from a corner and the Curaçao goalkeeper repelled further efforts from Valencia and Pacho. Hincapié headed over from a corner before substitute Angelo Preciado’s cross hit the woodwork. Valencia wasted the best chance to win it as Ecuador failed to avert disaster and left Curaçao feeling on top of the world.

— The Guardian