Not even 29 shots were enough: Ecuador draws with Curacao and complicates its qualification

Ecuador couldn't break through Curacao's defense and on Saturday ended in a scoreless draw at the , a result that seriously complicates the Andean team's aspirations in Group E of the 2026 World Cup.

With 75% possession, 29 shots, and 15 on target, Ecuador generated an overwhelming statistical superiority that did not translate into goals. Curaçao barely threatened the opposing goal—having only three shots on target throughout the match—but their goalkeeper stepped up each time he was called upon, and the score remained unchanged.

The tension set in from the first half: J. Alcivar received a yellow card in the 38th minute and was substituted at the beginning of the second half for K. Rodriguez.

Curaçao accumulated four cards in the second half —J. Bacuna (53'), L. Comenencia (56'), J. Gaari (75'), and G. Kastaneer (90')— in a match that became increasingly tense as the minutes passed and substitutions were made.

Ecuador attempted to force the result with substitutions: Estupiñán was replaced by N. Angulo in the 70th minute, and in the last 10 minutes, A. Preciado and J. Caicedo came on in search of a goal that never came. Curacao made five changes in the second half to maintain the draw.

The result has opposing interpretations for both teams. For Curacao, making their World Cup debut, the point is historic: it marks their first unit in the competition after suffering a 7-1 defeat against Germany in the opening match.

For Ecuador, however, it's a heavy blow: they entered the match without any points after losing 1-0 to Ivory Coast with a last-minute goal by Amad Diallo in the 89th minute of his debut.

sees Germany already qualified in first place with six points, Ivory Coast in second with three, and Ecuador and Curacao tied with one point each.

The goal difference separates both teams: Ecuador has -1, while Curacao has -6, which leaves the Caribbean island practically eliminated.

Ecuador still has options, but it depends on other results to secure its place in the next round. In the last group stage, on Thursday, June 25, the team led by Sebastián Beccacece will face Germany at MetLife Stadium: they need to win to reach four points and fight for the second spot in the group or for one of the eight spots reserved for the best third-placed teams in the tournament.