Eloy Room, a 37-year-old goalkeeper who has spent most of his career on the bench in the Eredivisie, delivered one of the most heroic performances in World Cup history to earn Curaçao a historic first point in their debut finals appearance. Room made 15 saves in a 0-0 draw against highly rated Ecuador, coming within one save of matching Tim Howard's all-time record of 16 in a single men's World Cup match, set in 2014 (though that included extra time).
Royal recognition and emotional scenes
Watched by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands in the stands, Room's display left a lasting impression. He revealed that Queen Máxima congratulated him with a kiss in the changing room afterwards. "I still have to process it myself," Room said. "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."
Curaçao's coach, Dick Advocaat, the oldest manager at the World Cup finals, was in tears at the final whistle. Advocaat had stepped down in February due to his daughter's health concerns but returned last month. "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."
Ecuador's frustration mounts
For Ecuador, the result was another disappointment after a surprise defeat to Côte d'Ivoire ended a 19-match unbeaten run. Coach Sebastián Beccacece expressed frustration: "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 now beat Germany in their final match to have any chance of progressing. The team, packed with players from top European clubs like Arsenal's Piero Hincapié and Paris Saint-Germain's Willian Pacho, had been tipped to do well after finishing second in South American qualifying. Enner Valencia, the veteran former West Ham striker, had a golden chance in the opening two minutes but was denied by Room's exceptional save.
David vs Goliath
Curaçao, with a population of 160,000, is the smallest nation ever to reach a World Cup finals. An estimated 5% of the population travelled to the United States to support their team. They more than held their own in the pre-match decibel challenge at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs. The blue-shirted fans, who brought their own brass band to perform the national anthem, were outnumbered by Ecuadorian supporters, but their spirit never wavered.
Despite being ranked 83rd by FIFA, Curaçao showed they were not there to make up the numbers. Sheffield United's Tahith Chong, the only squad member born on the island, drove forward, and Juninho Bacuna shot wide. Advocaat was encouraged by the space his side found down the flanks as Ecuador's wing-backs pushed high.
Room's record bid
Room resumed his heroics after the break, making a routine save from Moisés Caicedo and somehow stopping a goalbound header from a corner that deflected off his own player. Ecuador's Kevin Rodríguez powered a header on target from a corner, but Room repelled further efforts from Valencia and Pacho. Hincapié headed over from a corner, and substitute Ángelo Preciado's cross hit the woodwork. Valencia wasted the best chance to win it as Ecuador failed to avert disaster.
Curaçao's discipline began to wane as they were pushed back, but they continued to look dangerous on the break. A brilliant backheel from Bacuna set up his older brother and captain, Leandro, forcing Ecuador goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez to make a triple save from Livano Comenencia and Jürgen Locadia.
A historic point
The result marked a remarkable recovery for Curaçao after a 7-1 thrashing by Germany a few days earlier. Advocaat's side left the field to cheers from their fans, while Ecuador's players were jeered by their supporters. Curaçao's players embraced each other, celebrating a point that felt like a victory.
