Curacao made soccer history by securing their first-ever World Cup point in a gritty 0-0 draw against Ecuador. A massive share of the credit belongs to goalkeeper Eloy Room, whose heroic performance between the posts yielded 15 saves—putting him just one stop shy of Tim Howard’s legendary World Cup record.
There is, however, a stunning caveat to Room’s masterclass: while the former USMNT star needed 120 minutes of extra time to accumulate his 16 saves, the Curacao shot-stopper reached his 15-save mark in just 90 minutes of regulation.
Howard originally set the benchmark with his iconic performance during the Round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where the USMNT ultimately fell 2-1 to Belgium in overtime.
Room signaled early on that it was going to be a special night, denying Ecuadorian star Enner Valencia in a crucial one-on-one situation just two minutes into the match. The Netherlands-born keeper was an absolute wall at Kansas City Stadium, rightfully earning Man of the Match honors.
Ecuador unleashed a relentless barrage of 27 total shots, putting 15 on target—all of which were repelled by Room. The veteran keeper booked six saves in the first half before standing on his head in the second half to register nine more.
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Room continues to headline Curacao’s historic milestones
This unforgettable night will live forever in the memory of Room and the entire island nation of Curacao, marking a monumental milestone on the world stage. Incredibly, this isn’t the first time the 37-year-old goalkeeper has orchestrated a historic record-breaking night for his country.
Back in 2019, Curacao shocked Honduras with a 1-0 victory to secure their first-ever win in Gold Cup history. The goalkeeper who stole the show that night with exactly 15 saves? None other than Eloy Room.
