Curacao goalkeeper's 15 saves earn first World Cup point

Curacao, a small island nation with a population of roughly 150,000, made history by securing its first-ever World Cup point. The team held Ecuador, ranked 23rd globally, to a 0-0 draw in a 2026 North, Central America and Caribbean World Cup qualifier held in Kansas City, Missouri.

This achievement is particularly remarkable given the vast difference in rankings; Curacao stands at 82nd. Ecuador, a two-time World Cup participant and a Round of 16 team in 2006, was expected to dominate. However, Curacao's defense, anchored by an exceptional performance from goalkeeper Eloy Room, held firm.

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We swam over, hiked to the very top, and were simply blown away.

Room was the star of the match, making an astonishing 15 saves. This tally is reportedly the second-highest number of saves in a single World Cup match since official records began in 1966, surpassed only by Tim Howard's 16 saves for the U.S. against Belgium in 2014. If considering only regulation time, Room's 15 saves would be the all-time record.

While Curacao's draw places them fourth in Group E, they still hold a chance to advance to the next round. They will need to defeat Ivory Coast in their upcoming match, having lost to them 1-0 in their opening game. Ecuador, also needing a win, remains third in the group with one draw and one loss.

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Albania is not for sale.