As Ecuador forward Enner Valencia raced through on goal inside the opening three minutes, the outcome seemed inevitable. About 10 yards out with only the keeper to beat, he looked certain to score – a goal that would give Curacao a mountain to climb after their 7-1 thrashing by Germany. But Eloy Room anticipated the shot, stooped low to his left and clawed the ball around the post. It was an improbable, barely believable save.
By full-time, the 37-year-old Miami FC goalkeeper had made 15 saves – equalling the World Cup record set by Tim Howard in 2014, though Howard's 16 came across 120 minutes. Global stats provider Opta later clarified that Howard actually made 15 saves, drawing him level with Room. The draw secured Curacao's first ever World Cup point, celebrated by the island nation of around 160,000 people.
“Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room made 15 saves to earn a 0-0 draw against Ecuador, their first ever World Cup point.”
Watched by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands in the stands, Room's performance etched his name into World Cup legend. "I still have to process it myself," he admitted, revealing he received a congratulatory kiss from Queen Máxima in the changing room. "I'm a bit annoyed that I didn't get the record in the end but I think Tim Howard was sweating on it a bit."
Ecuador registered 26 shots, 15 on target, while Curacao managed only four shots on target. Manager Dick Advocaat, who stepped down in February before returning last month, was in tears at the final whistle. "I'm so proud," he said. "We have come from nothing and they fought like lions. It will be a big party on the island tonight and they deserve it."
Room's heroics sent his Instagram following soaring from just over 100,000 to more than 760,000 by the time of writing. BBC Sport pundit Martin Keown joked a calculator might be needed to tot up his saves. "Take a bow, Room," Keown said. "Absolutely magnificent. It just became a shopping list of saves."
For Ecuador, who left the field to jeers, coach Sebastián Beccacece said: "There are things you cannot explain in football – we've had 27 shots on goal but we couldn't score. It is normal to feel this pain but we still have a chance to put things right." Ecuador must beat Germany in their final match to progress.
The fact Curacao are even in the competition owes much to Room: he made a crucial save in a 0-0 draw with Jamaica that secured qualification. The former Netherlands Under-21 international was convinced to play for his father's country by former manager Patrick Kluivert in 2015. Now, after a performance that prompted calls for a statue, Room has written his name into World Cup history.