Frustrations spill over for Ecuador after another scoreless effort in World Cup
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Ecuador had 15 shots on goal but failed to score in a 0-0 draw.
- Eloy Room made 15 saves to keep Curaçao's clean sheet.
- Ecuador must win its final group match versus Germany to advance.
Gonzalo Plata had seen enough.
Late in the second half of a 0-0 draw against Curaçao on Saturday at Kansas City (Arrowhead) Stadium, the Ecuador forward extended his right foot in frustration and kicked the goalpost after watching all 15 of his team’s shots on goal come up empty.
Ecuador had ample chances to earn a much-needed group-stage victory in its second match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Instead, Curaçao goalkeeper Eloy Room made an incredible 15 saves and Ecuador walked away with a humbling result against an opponent it was heavily favored to beat.
That puts Ecuador in a tricky situation heading into its final game of group play.
The team will need to win that match to advance to the knockout rounds of this tournament. And the opponent in that game is perennial soccer heavyweight Germany, a team that beat Curaçao 7-1.
An early exit for Ecuador could be on the horizon.
That would come as a major surprise. A spot on the bracket seemed like a forgone conclusion after the Ecuadorans rolled through CONMEBAL qualifying and finished second place in South America, nine points shy of Argentina. The team played so well in the leadup to the World Cup that many labeled Ecuador a darkhorse candidate to win the whole thing.
But Ecuador has failed mightily to live up to those expectations this month. The team didn’t score a single goal during a loss to Ivory Coast. Then came another shutout against Curaçao.
One could argue that Ecuador has been the most disappointing team, through two matches, of the 2026 World Cup.
Turns out, Ecuador fans are even more frustrated about that than Plata.
As players exited the pitch in Kansas City on Saturday, several hundred yellow-clad Ecuador fans could be seen giving their own players a one-finger salute. They could also be heard voicing their displeasure with a chorus of boos.
One fan, wearing perhaps the only white Ecuador jersey in the stadium, loudly aired his grievances near the team bus after the conclusion of the game.
“You should all be ashamed,” he yelled. “You can’t even score a goal against the smallest country in the World Cup. You are embarrassing us.”
Ecuador players didn’t sound quite that discouraged when they spoke after the match.
In Spanish, they talked of barely missing chances and keeping their heads up as they fight for three points in their final game of group play. They aren’t giving up hope.
Still, this was a discouraging result for anyone wearing yellow in Kansas City.
This story was originally published June 20, 2026 at 10:38 PM with the headline "Frustrations spill over for Ecuador after another scoreless effort in World Cup."