Curacao entered its first World Cup as the ultimate underdog, then goalkeeper Eloy Room delivered a performance for the record books. His 15 saves against Ecuador helped secure a historic result and brought him within one save of Tim Howard's all-time World Cup record.
Curacao better make some room for a new national super hero. Eloy Room delivered for his tiny Caribbean nation one of the finest performances in World Cup history on Saturday night, making 15 saves against a relentless Ecuador attack and helping The Blue Wave earn its first-ever point with a 0-0 draw against La Tri.
The outcome also allowed Germany, which beat Ivory Coast earlier in the day, to clinch Group E.
“It’s going to be an insane memory,” said Room, who plays for USL Championship club Miami FC. “You don’t think about it when you do it but of course it’s going to be something you look back to. For me as a goalkeeper, this is almost a perfect game.”
The 37-year-old Room, whose shutout of Jamaica last November sent Curacao to its first World Cup, bounced back in historic fashion from a 7-1 loss to Germany. His save total was one shy of the record — since saves became an official stat in 1966 — of 16 set by Tim Howard of the U.S. against Belgium on July 1, 2014, in a game that Room remembers watching. Howard needed 120 minutes for his total, though. Nobody has made more saves than Room without extra time.
“I think I need a statue in Curacao now,” he said with a smile.
Curacao, a small island nation in the Caribbean with a population of about 150,000, is a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Its football federation, the Curacao Football Federation, was founded in 1921 and joined FIFA in 1932. Despite its small size, Curacao has produced several notable players who have gone on to play in European leagues, including Eloy Room, who came through the youth academy at Vitesse in the Netherlands and later played for clubs like PSV Eindhoven, Columbus Crew in MLS, and now Miami FC in the USL Championship.
Room's career has been marked by resilience. Born in Nijmegen, Netherlands, to Curacaoan parents, he chose to represent Curacao internationally, a decision that allowed him to become a national icon. He made his senior debut for Curacao in 2015 and has since earned over 30 caps. His performances in World Cup qualifying, including a crucial penalty save against Jamaica in the decisive play-off, earned him the reputation as one of the best goalkeepers in the Caribbean.
The draw against Ecuador was particularly sweet for Curacao, given that they were coming off a 7-1 thrashing by Germany in their World Cup opener. That defeat had exposed defensive frailties, but Room's heroics helped restore pride and put the team in a position to advance from Group E. Curacao now faces Ivory Coast in their final group match, while Ecuador plays Germany. Both teams still have a chance to reach the knockout stage, though Ecuador's path is more difficult after dropping two points.
Ecuador, ranked considerably higher than Curacao, dominated possession and created numerous chances, but Room was equal to every shot. The Ecuadorian attack, led by veteran Enner Valencia and Moises Caicedo, tested Room from distance and close range, but the goalkeeper was unflappable. Valencia, who has scored in three different World Cups, was left frustrated after missing a one-on-one chance early in the game. “For us it's no shock,” Curacao midfielder Tahith Chong said. “We've gotten used to Eloy doing these unbelievable saves.”
The pressure of La Tri picked up in the second half — and each time, Room was standing in the way. Moises Caicedo forced him into making a spectacular save early on, then Valencia did the same with a well-placed header that Room knocked wide. On the ensuing corner kick, Room made two more sensational saves before Curacao finally cleared it. Ecuador wound up taking 27 shots to just 10 for Curacao. Ten of the 15 saves Room made were inside the box.
It was that kind of special night for him. And that kind of frustrating night for Ecuador. Ecuador coach Sebastian Beccacece said, “Well, there are things you cannot explain in football. We wanted to win. We didn't do it. I am the one who bears responsibility, and I told my team, ‘If you’re giving it all, competing, I have no complaints.' As long as we are alive, we will continue to give it our all. We are very united. We are like a family. No one said it would be easy.”
Ecuador certainly had a home-field advantage Saturday night at the home of the Kansas City Chiefs. Its fanbase, dressed like its players in bright yellow shirts, filled the stadium to the brim, making it look like a convention of Minions. There was only a couple of small pockets of blue-clad Curacao fans in a stadium whose capacity could house half of its island citizenry. Among those in the crowd were Kansas City Royals players Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez and Starling Marte. And King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, who began a memorable day in Houston cheering the Dutch past Sweden, then flew to Kansas City to watch a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands make history. “They were even dancing in the locker room to our music,” Room said. “That’s unreal that they witnessed this game.”
The pressure mounted on Ecuador earlier Saturday, when Deniz Undav’s goal in stoppage time lifted Germany to a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast. The outcome of that match in Toronto meant that La Tri faced World Cup elimination with a loss to The Blue Wave. Curacao made sure the pressure continued once play began. Throughout the first half, 78-year-old coach Dick Advocaat's team kept finding seams through the middle of Ecuador's defense, and that created open looks at the goal. But each time, Curacao would end the runs with a sloppy pass or a shot wide of net.
Ecuador wasted its best scoring chance in the opening minutes, when World Cup veteran Enner Valencia found nothing between him and the goalkeeper. But Room guessed right, dived to his left and deflected the shot to keep the game scoreless.
Room's performance drew comparisons to other legendary World Cup goalkeeping displays, such as Gordon Banks' save from Pele in 1970, or Manuel Neuer's dominance in 2014. While Room's 15 saves in regulation time is unprecedented, it also underscores the defensive commitment of Curacao, who defended in numbers but relied heavily on their last line of defense. Curacao had only 21% possession and completed just 62 passes in the attacking third, yet their defensive organization frustrated Ecuador.
For Curacao, this World Cup appearance represents a culmination of years of development. The Curacao football program has benefited from coaching expertise from the Netherlands, with Advocaat bringing decades of experience. The team's progress from CONCACAF minnows to World Cup participants is a story of persistence. In 2017, Curacao won the Caribbean Cup, and in 2019 they reached the semifinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Their World Cup qualification campaign included memorable wins over Guatemala, Honduras, and finally Jamaica, where Room's penalty save in the second leg sealed their place.
The Blue Wave now have a chance to advance to the Round of 16 if they beat Ivory Coast and results go their way. Regardless of the outcome, Room's performance will be remembered as one of the greatest in World Cup history by an underdog. As he said, “It’s going to be an insane memory.” For Curacao, it is a memory that will last a lifetime.
Source: NBC10 Philadelphia News