Eloy Room stood between the posts as Ecuador’s Enner Valencia fired a near‑certain strike inside three minutes. The 37‑year‑old Miami FC keeper dived low and tipped the ball around the post, preserving a clean sheet for Curacao. His intervention set the tone for a match that ended 0‑0, earning the Caribbean side its first World Cup point. Ecuador were over 50 spots higher in the FIFA rankings.

Room matched an Opta record-equalling tally by making 15 saves from 27 shots, the most stops in a 90‑minute World Cup game since records began in 1966. Only Tim Howard reached the same figure, but Howard conceded twice in extra‑time in 2014. The Dutch‑born veteran’s heroics drew praise from pundit Martin Keown, who joked a calculator was needed to count them.

Curacao, a population of 156,000 and the smallest nation ever at a World Cup, now sit on one point in Group E. Their draw keeps alive a slim chance of reaching the last‑16 if they defeat Ivory Coast. The performance cements Room’s legacy and gives the island a historic foothold on football’s biggest stage and energised their passionate supporters.