Fifteen saves, one point: Room leads Curacao to World Cup history

KANSAS CITY, Missouri, June 20 : Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room needed two minutes to make one of the World Cup's most impressive saves so far, stopping Ecuador forward Enner Valencia from close range and setting the tone for a career-defining performance that created history on Saturday.

Room made 15 saves in the 0-0 draw with Ecuador in Group E, the most in a 90-minute match in the tournament's history, hauling the smallest nation ever to play at a World Cup - with a population of about 156,000 - to their first point.

Curacao joined fellow tournament debutants Cape Verde in finding unexpected heroes in goal after the African nation's Vozinha helped hold heavyweights Spain to a 0-0 draw in their opening round match in Group H.

The 37-year-old Room, the oldest player in Curacao's squad, withstood relentless Ecuadorean pressure, saving shots that included an 18-metre effort from John Yeboah in the 41st minute and a second-half header from Valencia.

Only the United States' Tim Howard has produced more stops in a single World Cup match, with 16 in an extra-time defeat by Belgium in the last 16 at the finals in 2014.

"I was not thinking about that during the game," Room told reporters, though joking that he was annoyed he was not able to reach Howard's mark. He described the draw as a team effort.

Ecuador goalkeeper Hernan Galindez said Room had the game of his life against the South American side.

'THIS IS HISTORY'

Soccer history is no stranger to the Curacao goalkeeper.

In 2019, Room made more than a dozen saves in his country's first Gold Cup win against Honduras. Shining on the biggest stage, however, marked an additional landmark for the nation of about 156,000 people - and a personal accomplishment.

Netherlands-born Room told FIFA