15 shots saved - Eloy Room sets new World Cup record in historic draw for Curaçao

0-0 vs Ecuador 

It was an incredible performance. Eloy Room made 15 saves to secure Curaçao their first-ever World Cup point in the 0-0 draw against Ecuador. The Miami FC goalkeeper made 15 saves to secure a clean sheet. Room made the most saves since US men’s national team goalkeeper Tim Howard managed 16 on July 1, 2014, against Belgium (2-1 AET).

Howard, however, made his 16 saves in 120 minutes. Since the data was recorded in the 1966 World Cup, Room did secure a record, though. It was the most shots on target faced by a goalkeeper at a World Cup on record while keeping a clean sheet. The record comes on the back of Curaçao's 7-1 loss to Germany on matchday 1.

The result against Germany, however, masks the fact that for a moment, the Blue Wave was in the game. Indeed, Curaçao managed to equalize before Germany steamrolled them. But even in that game, you could see brief moments of quality. Against Ecuador, Curaçao had a few moments as well and, with a little luck, could have won the game. But ultimately, it was a hard-earned point on the back of an incredible goalkeeping performance.

Who is Eloy Room? Plays in the USL Championship – Won the Eredivisie and MLS Cup

Although the 37-year-old Room now plays in the second division USL Championship, the goalkeeper has some pedigree. Room won the Dutch Cup with Vitesse Arnhem in 2017, the Eredivisie with PSV in 2018, and the MLS Cup with Columbus Crew in 2020 and 2023. This season, Room has recorded four clean sheets in nine USLC games. None of them will be as big as the one he got on Saturday night, however.

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