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- Eloy Room delivered an epic, match-defining goalkeeping display that cemented his status as a World Cup hero for Curacao.
- Curacao have proved they belong at the 48-team World Cup and will push for a first tournament victory under Dick Advocaat.
- Group E remains wide open, with tight standings making every remaining match decisive for advancement hopes.
The goalkeeper was in incredible form, producing a performance that will be remembered for years to come
From scoring their first goal in World Cup history to securing their first point, Curacao will enter Matchday 3 with a chance to make the knockout stages of the tournament after a 0-0 draw with Ecuador on Saturday. Miami FC keeper Eloy Room, who already made history as one of the first United Soccer League players ever to make a World Cup appearance along with his teammate Jurgen Locadia, had a heroic performance, making 15 saves to keep the Blue Wave in the match.
Room was only one save off of tying Tim Howard’s record of 16 saves in the tournament, but his 15 are the most during a World Cup match that didn’t feature extra time since they started getting recorded in 1996. It’s already a remarkable story that Curacao are the smallest country to ever qualify for the World Cup with a population of 158,000, but now they could advance if they defeat Ivory Coast on June 25 in Philadelphia.
Ecuador will also now need to defeat Germany, as their World Cup journey has become a perilous one. Facing an island nation who only had one player, Tahith Chong, born there, was expected to be a simple win for La Tri but in a World Cup where Cabo Verde can tie Spain, nothing can be taken for granted.
The Concacaf team has shown that they well and truly deserve to be among the 48-team field, but they won’t be happy with just being here. They scored their first goal in World Cup history against Germany, and now they’ll be in search of their first victory as Dick Advocaat leads a fearless side through the tournament on the back of a heroic performance.
Group E standings
|
1 |
Germany |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
+7 |
6 |
|
2 |
Ivory Coast |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
|
3 |
Ecuador |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
-1 |
1 |
|
4 |
Curacao |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
-6 |
1 |
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