Ecuador deserved the glory but ran into a wall: a goalless draw against Curacao

By Roy Rodriquez

The Kansas City sky turned blue and yellow, but the net never moved. Ecuador vs Curacao It ended in a 0-0 that left a taste of defeat in the mouths of the thousands of fans who filled 95% of the stadium stands. Those led by Sebastián Beccacece searched for the rival goal until exhaustion, but they collided with an impassable wall called the Eloy Room.

From the first minute, La Tri imposed conditions. With a line of three in the background and Pervis Estupiñán projected as a classic winger, the South American team surrounded the Caribbean area. At 120 seconds, Enner Valencia already warned: a filtered pass from Moisés Caicedo left him one-on-one, but the Curacao goalkeeper's response was the first sign of what would be a nightmare afternoon for the Ecuadorian forwards.

What did the tie leave in the Ecuador vs Curacao duel?

If football were based on merit, the score would have been closed early. Ecuador registered a whopping 27 attempts on goal, with 15 direct shots leading to a goal. However, every time the ball sought the nets, a hand, a foot, or an inexplicable reflection of Eloy Room appeared.

The moment of greatest tension occurred around the 65th minute, when the Caribbean goalkeeper made a triple save that silenced the stadium. First to Valencia, then to Kevin Rodríguez; The stadium was abuzz. The Ecuadorian team, at times, seemed prey to desperation: deflected shots, balls that pinched the post and centers that did not find a precise recipient.

The VAR and the final sigh in Kansas City

The anguish extended to the discount. The referee added five initial minutes, but uncertainty came at 90+5'. The stadium held its breath over a possible violation in the Curacao area. The VAR entered the scene, the Ecuadorian fans stood up and absolute silence reigned in the stands while the referee reviewed the action. The final decision was a blow: there was no penalty. A minute later, the final whistle declared a tie that forces La Tri to rethink its effectiveness for the next World Cup match.