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Havana, June 21 (RHC) – Ecuadorian fans went from hope to disappointment after the national football team drew 0-0 against Curacao, jeopardizing their qualification for the next stage of the 2026 World Cup.
Waving flags, blowing vuvuzelas, and wearing yellow jerseys, thousands of Ecuadorians were glued to their screens at home and in public spaces this Saturday, hoping their national team would defeat their opponent.
However, they now see the possibility of advancing beyond the group stage of the World Cup as a distant one.
The draw against Curaçao at Kansas City Stadium in the United States hurt more than the defeat against Ivory Coast on June 14th.
Fans were on the edge of their seats as the team, coached by Argentine Sebastián Beccacece, tried at least 15 times to put the ball in the net, but despite La Tri appearing superior to their rivals, they couldn’t find the elusive goal.
Ecuador had the clearest chances, especially with shots on goal from Enner Valencia, Jhon Yeboah, and Pedro Vite, who came close to opening the scoring in the first half, but their shots were weak or wide.
Adding to that was the performance of Eloy Room, the goalkeeper for the smallest country ever to compete in a World Cup, who was a wall against the shots from the Andean nation’s players.
With just one point, Ecuador’s only chance of advancing is a victory against Germany in their match on June 25, the final match of Group E in the World Cup.
