Curacao's Eloy Room breaks 59-year saves record to stun Ecuador at World Cup 2026

Eloy Room produced one of the most extraordinary goalkeeping performances in World Cup history on Tuesday, making 15 saves to earn Curacao a 0-0 draw against Ecuador — a record for any 90-minute match at the tournament since records began in 1966.

The 37-year-old, who plays his club football for Miami FC in the USL Championship, was tested as early as the third minute when Ecuador’s Enner Valencia broke clear one-on-one, only for Room to dive and tip the ball wide with a stunning one-handed save. He did not stop there. The performance came just six days after Curacao conceded seven goals against Germany, making the clean sheet all the more remarkable for the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup finals.

“I grew, we all grew, this was a team effort,” Room said after the final whistle. “We’ve been fighting, fighting up to the last minute. Earning a point this way for Curacao is absolutely great.”

The result keeps Curacao’s hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive.

Elsewhere in the group stage, Egypt coach Hossam Hassan moved to quash reports of tension surrounding Mohamed Salah ahead of his side’s Group G clash with New Zealand at BC Place. Salah, 34, was substituted in the 76th minute of Egypt’s opening 1-1 draw with Belgium in Seattle — a decision that prompted speculation about the relationship between the Liverpool forward and his national team manager.

Hassan was direct in his response to reporters. “Salah is an important player for our squad, and the 26 players who are here with me are very important. Every player who has worked with me knows I deal with them in a professional manner. I do not have favourites.”

The coach added that Salah remained a model professional within the camp. “He trains with us. He’s the first player that would also say yes to my decisions as a technical director. Rumours are being spread about stars, about players, about teams. But Salah is someone who is very disciplined.”

Salah scored nine goals during Egypt’s qualifying campaign and provided an assist for Emam Ashour in the Belgium draw, with highly-rated teenager Hamza Abdelkarim entering as his replacement.

In other World Cup news, Tunisia became the third team eliminated from the tournament after a 4-0 defeat to Japan. The North Africans had sacked coach Sabri Lamouchi following a 5-1 loss to Sweden earlier in the group stage, but the appointment of experienced manager Hervé Renard could not halt their exit.