A Late Entry Helps the Dutch Avert an Exit

SALVADOR, Brazil — With a World Cup quarterfinal in the closing moments of extra time on Saturday, Louis van Gaal, the coach of the Netherlands, made a move that was as bold as it was rare.

 

As penalty kicks loomed in a 0-0 game, he replaced his starting goalkeeper, Jasper Cillessen, with Tim Krul, who had not played in the tournament but was confident to the point of haughtiness in a 4-3 victory in the shootout. 

After growing frustrated against Costa Rica, which seemed mostly content to sit back, surrender possession and play for penalty kicks, the Dutch became assured and clinical. The Netherlands made all of its penalty kicks, and the 6-foot-4 Krul made two dramatic saves after appearing to try to intimidate the Costa Ricans. 

Some commentators found his animated behavior unsporting, but Krul’s teammates mobbed him and his country celebrated an improbable hero as the Oranje advanced to a semifinal against Argentina on Wednesday in São Paulo. 

“That is not normal,” Krul, 26, said of spending about 120 minutes on the bench and then entering with the pressure of advancing his team.

Tim Krul, who entered as a substitute late in extra time, saved two penalty kicks in the shootout.

“It’s a dream,” he said. “It’s unbelievable.” 

For the first time in five attempts, the Dutch won a World Cup match that extended beyond regulation. Still, the Netherlands will be confronted by a history of vexation. 

Brazil will face Germany in the other semifinal, on Tuesday in Belo Horizonte. While the other three semifinalists have 10 World Cup titles among them, the Dutch have played in three finals (1974, 1978 and 2010) without winning. 

Costa Rica proved to be a great surprise in this World Cup, surrendering only two goals in five matches behind its organized defense and superb goalkeeper, Keylor Navas. 

But with the Ticos’ exit, after equally excruciating defeats for the United States and Mexico in the second round, the North American, Central American and Caribbean region was again left without a semifinalist in a drought that extends to 1930. 

The quarterfinals were not supposed to be this difficult for the Netherlands, at least in the opinion of many experts. And van Gaal’s decision to call on Krul carried some risk. Krul plays in England for Newcastle United, but he had saved only 2 of 20 penalty kicks in the Premier League. Still, Krul is two inches taller than Cillessen and has a longer reach.

between the Netherlands and Costa Rica at Arena Fonte Nova

“We thought it all through,” van Gaal said. “We all thought Tim Krul was the best keeper to stop penalties.” 

Navas said he had seen such a switch once before. “He made the right decision,” Navas said of van Gaal. “He had more confidence in him.” 

It was the second bit of clever inspiration for van Gaal, who switched tactics during a water break in the Netherlands’ late victory over Mexico in the Round of 16. 

Krul might have lacked playing time in this World Cup, but he did not lack self-possession. Or perhaps he was nervous and needed to steel himself in a full stadium with his team’s fate in the balance and the world watching. 

He kissed the ball and walked near the Costa Ricans as they prepared to shoot, staring at them. He seemed to talk to his opponents. He also pointed to his eyes, as if to say he knew where the Ticos intended to place the ball. Continue reading the main story Continue reading the main story Continue reading the main story 

And, at least twice, he did.

 

Netherlands beats Costa Rica in penalty shootout. RIO DE JANEIRO

In the second round against Greece, Costa Rica made all five of its shootout attempts. This time, a left-footed shot by the captain Bryan Ruiz lacked speed and conviction, and Krul pushed it wide. 

Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder and Dirk Kuyt shot assuredly and accurately for the Netherlands. Then it was left to Costa Rica defender Michael Umaña to take what became the decisive kick. 

Krul guessed correctly, or reacted to a look or movement, and dived left, saving the shot and the game. The Dutch players raced to engulf him. 

The breathless finish was in stark contrast to a drowsy first half, with the Netherlands kicking the ball around its back line patiently or aimlessly, depending on one’s view. 

The game came alive in the second half. All night, Robben stabbed down the right flank, luring the Ticos into four yellow cards for fouling him. Sometimes he embellished his falls by throwing his arms out as if jumping from a plane. 

Yet even with Robben’s tireless running and his constant threatening, the Dutch failed to get a ball past Navas, or the goal posts, until penalty kicks. 

The Dutch were called offside 13 times. Van Persie seemed particularly anxious. Twice he was rebuffed by Navas at close range. He whiffed on a cross at the back post in the 88th minute and grew unlucky when another shot hit the underside of the crossbar. 

In the 82nd minute, Sneijder hit the left post on a free kick. In the 119th minute, he hit the crossbar from atop the penalty area. When the match reached penalty kicks, Jorge Luis Pinto, Costa Rica’s coach, punched the air as if this had been his plan all along. But van Gaal had a more successful strategy with his goalkeeper switch. 

“It worked out,” van Gaal said. “That was beautiful. I’m a bit proud of that.”