Netherlands drew 0-0 after extra time with Costa Rica but triumphed 4-3 on penalties at the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador, Brazil on Saturday evening at the 2014 World Cup.
The Oranje converted all of their penalties but Los Ticos had their second and fifth penalties saved by Tim Krul, who replaced Jasper Cillessen near the end of extra time.
The first half was an uneventful one especially in the first 20 minutes, largely due to the Oranje constantly passing the ball around and Los Ticos being content to sit back and defend.
Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas still had to be alert though out and he showed he remained on form by saving Robin van Persie’s shot and easily catching the rebound from Wesley Sneijder. Navas also saved an angled drive from Memphis Depay in that half.
Junior Diaz was given a yellow card after 38 minutes for a foul on Arjen Robben and Sneijder brought out an excellent save from Navas from the resulting free-kick.
The second half was dour for the first 20 minutes but it got more lively as the half went on.
Michael Umana was given a yellow card on 52 minutes for fouling Robben, and from the free-kick, the Dutch winger passed to Sneijder who blasted the ball over the bar.
Costa Rica were calling for a penalty after 60 minutes for an apparent foul on Joel Campbell but the referee waved play on.
Cristian Bolanos took two free-kicks. His first one was a direct shot that failed to hit the target and he found Giancarlo Gonzalez, who headed the ball over the bar, with the second.
Marco Urena replaced Joel Campbell in the Costa Rica attack and he started off in an energetic manner with his runs. Depay was replaced with Jeremain Lens, who forced another save out of Navas with a header but he was offside.
Gonzalez was yellow carded for another foul on Robben. The Dutch nearly gained the lead from the resulting free-kick but Sneijder’s shot hit the post.
Before extra time, Van Persie had four chances to win the game. His first chance was blocked, he failed to gain contact on Sneijder’s cross with the second opportunity, he had a free-kick saved by Navas with the third and then Yeltsin Tejeda blocked another shot on the goal line.
The first period of extra time was a dull affair. Aside from Ron Vlaar having a header saved by Navas, the Oranje were constantly running into a Costa Rican wall.
The second period of extra time was more eventful than the first and Costa Rica attacked a little bit more.
Klaas Jan Huntelaar came on for Bruno Martins Indi and he headed Robben’s corner over the bar.
Los Ticos had a bit more possession than in the first 105 minutes and they finally had their first corner after 115 minutes.
Although the corner was wasted, Urena nearly won the game for the underdogs with an excellent solo run afterwards. Jasper Cillessen had been quiet throughout the game but he was still alert to prevent Urena from scoring.
The Netherlands still had chances to win it at the end. Sneijder’s bending shot hit crossbar and Robben had rebound blocked by Huntelaar.
Cillesen came off for Krul because Van Gaal believed he could save the penalties, which he did. Van Persie, Robben, Sneijder and Dirk Kuyt scored for the Netherlands and Bryan Ruiz and Michael Umana were denied by Krul’s heroics.
