Eloy Room's 15-Save Masterclass: How Curaçao Earned Its First World Cup Point and Shook Up Group E

Only Tim Howard has matched this feat in a single match, but unlike Room, Howard did not maintain a clean sheet — he conceded twice in extra time during the USA's match against Belgium in 2014 . Room's performance also broke the record for most saves in a World Cup match that did not include extra time .

After the match, Room joked he deserved a statue in Curaçao . The 37-year-old goalkeeper, whose shutout of Jamaica in November 2025 sent Curaçao to its first World Cup, bounced back from the opening 7-1 thrashing with one of the finest goalkeeping displays in tournament history .

What the Draw Meant for Group E

After two matchdays, Group E stood as follows :

• Germany advanced to the Round of 16 as group winners after beating Curaçao 7-1 and securing a second win .
• Ivory Coast opened with a 1-0 win over Ecuador (a late 90th-minute goal from Amad Diallo) and was best-placed to claim the group's second direct knockout spot .
• Ecuador's failure to beat Curaçao left them vulnerable — they lost control of their top-two destiny and needed results elsewhere to advance as one of the best third-place teams .
• Curaçao earned its first-ever World Cup point but remained bottom of the group with a -6 goal difference . Neither Ecuador nor Curaçao controls its own top-two destiny any longer .

Broader Tournament Context

Mexico became the first team to qualify for the Round of 32 on June 18, 2026, beating South Korea 1-0 in Guadalajara to top Group A . The United States and Germany also secured knockout-round berths . Under the expanded 48-team format, the top two teams in each group advance, along with the eight best third-place teams .

Spain 4-0 Saudi Arabia (Group H, June 21). Lamine Yamal scored on his return from injury, Mikel Oyarzabal bagged a brace, and an own goal completed the rout, reviving Spain's campaign after a slow start . The 18-year-old Yamal became the eighth-youngest scorer in men's World Cup history .

Cape Verde drew with Spain in Spain's opening Group H match — that shock result (combined with Spain's 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia) left Group H finely balanced . Spain's 0-0 draw with Cape Verde on Matchday 1 produced one of the biggest shocks of the World Cup .

Ivory Coast's late win over Ecuador (Matchday 1, Group E): Ivory Coast scored in the 90th minute to beat Ecuador 1-0 in Philadelphia, putting the Ivorians in control of their knockout fate .

What Comes Next

Curaçao's draw keeps alive its slim hopes of reaching the knockout phase . To advance, the Blue Wave must beat Ivory Coast in their final group match and hope results elsewhere fall their way. Ecuador, meanwhile, faces a must-win match against Germany to have any chance of progressing. One thing is already certain: no one will forget the night Eloy Room stood alone against a South American storm and refused to let a single shot past.