Kansas City, MO – Goalkeeper Eloy Room, representing Curaçao and playing for USL Championship club Miami FC, delivered a historic performance on Saturday, June 20, 2026, making 15 saves against Ecuador in a FIFA World Cup Group Stage match. The 37-year-old's heroics secured a 0-0 draw for Curaçao, marking the nation's first-ever point in a World Cup and placing his save tally as the second-highest in a single World Cup match since 1966.
Room's exceptional display at the Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City was just one save shy of the all-time record of 16, set by former USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard against Belgium in the 2014 World Cup. "I'm a little bit annoyed that I don't have the record from Tim Howard, because he had 16, but I think he was sweating in front of the defeat because I was close," Room stated after the match. He added, "It's unbelievable. I cannot do it alone. I did it with the team and my defenders so we did it as a team."
The draw followed a challenging start for Curaçao in the tournament, including a 7-1 loss to Germany. Head coach Dick Advocaat praised his team's journey, noting, "You guys know how far we came, coming from nothing. Now if you see that we play an away match in front of 60,000 spectators and a match where we actually have an opportunity of winning, that only gives us pride to see how far we came." Ecuador's coach, Sebastián Beccacece, acknowledged the frustration of the draw, stating, "The team deserved more than they got, and I am the one who is responsible for that."
Room's 15 saves, including ten from inside the box, came as Ecuador launched 27 shots throughout the match. His performance was crucial in frustrating a determined Ecuadorian attack, with midfielder Tahith Chong remarking, "For us it’s no shock. We’ve gotten used to Eloy doing these unbelievable saves." The result keeps both teams in contention for advancement, with Curaçao scheduled to face Ivory Coast next in Philadelphia, while Ecuador will play Germany.
