Goalies are Golden at FIFA World Cup

North American fans are used to seeing goalies dominating hockey games. Now they are seeing it at the FIFA World Cup.

Eloy Room made 15 saves to give Curacao its first ever World Cup point by drawing Ecuador 0-0.

Vozinha, age 40, held off 28 attempts on goal from powerhouse Spain to give Cape Verde an opening round draw.

Alireza Beiranvand shut out Belgium with 7 saves to keep Iran’s dreams alive.

Canada is counting on Maxime Crepeau to lead them into the knockout stages for the first time after a draw with Bosnia and a 6-0 win over Qatar.

Spain’s Unai Simon and Mexico’s Raul Rangel posted clean sheets in their first two games.

Top African keepers such as Yassine “Bono” Bounou of Morocco and Yahia Fofana of Ivory Coast have performed well under pressure.

Emiliano Martinez of Argentina, Alisson Becker of Brazil, Diogo Costa or Portugal, Thibaut Courtois of Belgium, Mike Maignan of France, Gregor Kobel of Switzerland are among other big name keepers leading their teams at the World Cup.

Germany is again relying on legendary keeper Manuel Neuer, age 40, who completed 244 passes and won the Golden Glove while leading Germany to capture the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Known as a “sweeper-keeper”, Neuer commanded Germany to a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast in Toronto on Saturday.