Dutch keeper Krul a shootout hero, Argentina await

Monday, 7 July 2014 01:23 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters: The Netherlands survived a nerve-wracking penalty shootout against Costa Rica on Saturday, with substitute goalkeeper Tim Krul the unlikely hero, to set up a World Cup semi-final against Argentina after the South Americans beat Belgium 1-0. While the Netherlands and Argentina savoured their progress to the last four, hosts Brazil were still coming to terms with the news that star forward Neymar will miss the rest of the tournament due to a broken vertebra in his back.

The news prompted bookmakers to install Brazil’s semi-final opponents Germany as the new favourites to win the title. In Salvador, Krul was brought on specifically for the shootout at the Fonte Nova Arena after the teams finished extra time locked at 0-0. Diving full length to his left, Krul saved from Bryan Ruiz and Michael Umana as the Netherlands triumphed 4-3 to end the fairytale run of tiny Costa Rica, who had defied the odds just to make the quarter-finals for the first time. “What we did on the pitch, what we showed to the world, I think that is crucial,” said Costa Rica coach Jorge Luis Pinto. “We are not a big power but we demonstrated things, we are leaving very proud.” The Dutch, who have never won the World Cup but reached three finals, including the last one in Johannesburg four years ago, play Argentina in Sao Paulo on Wednesday in one of two classic match-ups between South American and European powerhouses. Germany will tackle Brazil in Belo Horizonte a day earlier. Argentina reached the semi-finals for the first time in 24 years thanks to a brilliant eighth-minute goal by striker Gonzalo Higuain at the Brasilia national stadium.