Minnows Curacao picked up their first ever FIFA World Cup point in a goalless draw with Equador that keeps alive their hopes of reaching the knockout phase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Curacao’s hero was their goalkeeper Eloy Room, who kept out a barrage of shots to help the Caribbean nation claim the historic result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ecuador, who finished second in South American qualifying, had 28 shots, including 15 on target but Room stood firm in an astonishing display in Kansas City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His 15 saves are the most on record, since 1966, by any goalkeeper a World Cup match that did not feature extra-time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
World Cup debutants Curacao, the smallest nation by population ever to qualify for the tournaments, slumped to a 7-1 defeat against Germany in their opening match but restored pride in the American Midwest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ecuador fans turned the Kansas City Stadium, the home of NFL team Kansas City Chiefs, yellow, hugely outnumbering supporters of Curacao.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Curacao had royalty on their side in the form of Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. The island is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Out of their 26-strong squad, managed by vastly experienced Dutch coach Dick Advocaat, 25 were born in the Netherlands, and most play their football there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The match started at a fizzing pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ecuador seemed certain to open the scoring in the third minute when former West Ham forward Enner Valencia burst through the middle but Room tipped the ball around the post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sherel Floranus fired over at the other end as Curacao showed their pace on the break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Valencia failed to beat Room from close range before Jordy Alcivar had an effort as Ecuador continued to dominate possession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The South American team ended the first half with 65 percent of possession but nothing to show for their dominance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They went close to breaking the deadlock just before the hour mark but Room kept out a Gonzala Plata header, before a flurry of Curacao chances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ecuador, more than 50 places higher than Curacao in the FIFA rankings, looked increasingly frazzled as they pressed for a goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the match neared its end, chances continued to come thick and fast but Room stood firm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ecuador substitute Angelo Preciado mishit a cross that bounced off the top of the crossbar and went behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Curacao players swarmed around Room at the end of the match, celebrating an extraordinary point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ecuador will play Germany on Thursday while Curacao take on Ivory Coast.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Minnows Curacao picked up their first ever FIFA World Cup point in a goalless draw with Equador that<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13987,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[430],"tags":[276,63],"class_list":["post-14067","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-football","tag-fifa","tag-football"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t