Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room delivered one of the most remarkable individual performances in World Cup history, making 15 saves to hold Ecuador to a 0-0 draw in Group E on Sunday — earning his nation their first ever point at a World Cup finals.

The 37-year-old set a new record for the most saves in 90 minutes of a World Cup match since statistics were first recorded in 1966. His heroics were all the more extraordinary given that Curacao, ranked 82nd in the world and a nation of just 158,000 people, arrived in Kansas having conceded seven goals to Germany in their opening fixture.

Room's brilliance stuns Kansas

Ecuador dominated from the first whistle, registering 27 shots and generating an expected goals figure of 3.05 — yet they could not find a way past the Curacao goalkeeper. The result leaves Ecuador with a single point from two Group E matches after also falling 1-0 to the Ivory Coast.

Room's finest moment came as early as the 3rd minute, when Enner Valencia broke clean through on goal. The goalkeeper produced a brilliant stop to keep the scores level, setting the tone for the night. Valencia ultimately finished the match having had seven shots — more than any other Ecuador player — without finding the net.

In the 69th minute, Gonzalo Plata thought he had broken the deadlock when he met a corner with a close-range header, only for Room to parry it away in stunning fashion. The saves kept coming, and in the 79th minute Angulo launched a piledriver from outside the box that Room parried to bring up save number 15 — and with it, a place in the record books.

Late in the match, Ecuador substitute Preciado came agonisingly close when his cross struck the crossbar in the 90th minute, but Curacao held on for a historic result.

What each side needs to go through

Ecuador's path to the round of 16 is now narrow. They must beat Group E table-toppers Germany in their final match to have any hope of progressing. Curacao, meanwhile, face the Ivory Coast — and a win would be enough to send them through in what would be one of the most improbable qualification stories the World Cup has ever seen.