Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room is eyeing a statue in his honour after equalling a World Cup document within the goalless draw with Ecuador final night time.
Room made 15 saves to match Tim Howard’s mark achieved for the US towards Belgium in 2014.
The 37-year-old was in impressed kind as Curacao, a constituent nation throughout the Kingdom of the Netherlands, secured their first level of the match after bouncing again properly from the 7-1 thrashing by Germany of their opener.
“It’s going to be an insane reminiscence,” Room stated. “You don’t give it some thought if you do it, however in fact it’s going to be one thing you look again to. For me as a goalkeeper, that is virtually an ideal sport.”
He added with a smile: ”I believe I would like a statue in Curaçao now.”
Tim Howard will need to have been sweating, says Curacao star Room
Room made probably the most saves in World Cup historical past in a sport that didn’t go to extra-time, denying Ecuador a much-needed win.
“Slightly bit irritated that I don’t have the document from Tim Howard, however I believe he was sweating in entrance of the TV as a result of I used to be shut,” stated Room.
“However no, it’s unbelievable. And I can’t do it alone. I did it with the workforce and my defenders and the midfielders, strikers. We did it as a workforce.”
Ecuador had an xG of over three however couldn’t discover a well beyond Room with Curacao boss Dick Advocaat hailing his gamers for a outstanding consequence.
“You understand how far we’ve come, principally from nothing,” Advocaat stated. “And you then come right here and play an away match in entrance of 60,000 individuals and draw 0-0. All you may really feel is satisfaction at how far we’ve come.
“The primary match affected me rather more as a result of we misplaced 7-1. But the supporters welcomed our gamers with unbelievable enthusiasm. Usually, after a consequence like that, you get booed. As a substitute, the precise reverse occurred.
“Right this moment, you noticed the workforce give one thing again to these supporters. I assumed that was a fantastic second.”
Curacao stalemate jeopardises Ecuador’s hopes
Whereas Curacao celebrated with the King and Queen of the Netherlands within the dressing room afterwards, Ecuador had been left to mirror on a probably damaging consequence.
Sebastián Beccacece’s aspect, who had been defeated by the Ivory Coast of their opener, will now have to beat Germany to stand a chance of going through.
“In soccer, there are issues that merely can’t be defined,” Beccacece stated. “The consequence speaks for itself, so the rest I say might sound like an excuse. Right this moment, we needed to win, and we didn’t.”
