Tim Howard, a United States men’s national team legend, stands alone in World Cup history with his 16-save performance in the Americans’ 2-1 Round of 16 loss to Belgium in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
But he may have been a bit worried on Saturday night, when Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room made 15 saves in a scoreless draw against Ecuador Saturday night in Kansas City to earn Curacao’s first-ever World Cup point.
At least Room hopes so.
“A little bit annoyed that I don’t have the record from Tim Howard, but I think he was sweating in front of the TV because I was close,” Room quipped in his press conference after the match.
In some ways, Room made history in the match. His 15 saves are the most in a World Cup match by a goalkeeper who kept a clean sheet. It’s also a record for a 90-minute match, with Howard’s performance coming in a 120-minute extra-time match.
The fact that it came just one match after Room made four saves on 12 shots on net in Curacao’s 7-1 opening loss to Germany in Houston makes it that much more unbelievable.
“I think I need a statue in Curacao now,” Room said.
According to some statkeeping websites, Room actually tied the record. FIFA’s total of 16 saves by Howard is not a consensus tally.
That discrepancy doesn’t seem to be affecting how Room views the game whatsoever.
“It’s going to be an insane memory,” Room said. “You don’t think about it when you do it but of course it’s going to be something you look back to. For me as a goalkeeper, this is almost a perfect game.
” … It’s unbelievable. And I cannot do it alone. I did it with the team and my defenders and the midfielders, strikers. We did it as a team.”
While Howard played for Everton in the Premier League when he delivered his historic performance, Room has never reached those heights. The 37-year-old Netherlands native came up through a few Dutch academies and squads before settling with the Columbus Crew, with whom he won the 2020 MLS Cup.
Now, though, he’s not even in the top-level American league, playing for Miami FC in the USL Championship.
Up next, a chance for Curacao, the smallest nation in population and size to ever qualify for the World Cup, to punch a ticket to the knockout stage if they can beat Ivory Coast in Philadelphia on June 25.
–Field Level Media
