Curacao keeper Room shines in historic World Cup draw with Ecuador

(corrects to 28 shots in paragraph 15)

By Lori Ewing

KANSAS CITY, Missouri, June 20 : Tiny Curacao battled to a 0-0 draw with Ecuador to earn the first World Cup point in the Caribbean island's history on Saturday after an outstanding performance from goalkeeper Eloy Room enabled them to celebrate a landmark day.

Six days after being humbled 7-1 by Germany on their World Cup debut, Curacao - the smallest nation ever to reach the finals with a population of about 156,000 - produced a resilient display to frustrate the South Americans and keep alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.

The 37-year-old Room, whose shutout of Jamaica in November sealed Curacao's place in the tournament, was the standout figure, making 15 saves that set a record for a 90-minute World Cup match, as they withstood sustained pressure before earning a result that ranks among the finest in their sporting history.

American Tim Howard holds the World Cup record for all-time saves with 16, but that was after extra time, in the U.S. loss to Belgium in the round of 16 in 2014.

The goalless draw that confirmed Germany as Group E winners was a blow for Ecuador - who arrived at the tournament on a 19-game unbeaten run - and their fans, who were left deflated as chances went begging, leaving them with a point from two games.

Ecuador's Enner Valencia had a terrific chance in the third minute when he was one-on-one with Room, but the keeper, who plays for Miami FC in the USL Championship, dived to tip the ball wide of the post with a stunning one-handed save.

That set the stage for Room's heroic display as he repeatedly denied Ecuador and gradually turned frustration into disbelief among the South American side and their supporters.

"I still have to process