adminSALVADOR. — Dutch coach Louis van Gaal revealed he had not told Netherlands goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen of his plan to switch him for Saturday’s penalty shootout victory over Costa Rica.The Netherlands advanced to a World Cup semi-final with Argentina by beating Costa Rica 4-3 in a shootout on Saturday with substitute goalkeeper Tim Krul saving two of the penalties after the match finished 0-0 following extra time.
Van Gaal stunned onlookers at Salvador’s Fonte Nova Arena by bringing on Newcastle’s Krul to replace Cillessen in the final seconds of extra-time with the scores deadlocked at 0-0.
The bold gambit paid off spectacularly as Krul, judged to be a better penalty stopper, saved two spot-kicks to help the Dutch into a semi-final meeting with Argentina.
Afterwards Van Gaal disclosed that the strategy had been kept hidden from Cillessen right up to the moment the switch was made.
However, Krul was informed he might be called upon.
“We said nothing to Jasper,” Van Gaal said. “We didn’t want him to be faced with this information before the match because, of course, that would be disappointing for him.”
But Krul — who has saved only two out of 20 penalties during his career with Newcastle — was seen as the safer pair of hands.
“Every keeper has specific qualities and we felt that he had a better reach, and a better track record to stop penalties,” Van Gaal said.
“We’d discussed it with Tim, how Costa Rica would shoot their penalties, their sequence. So he was prepared. Fortunately it worked out because if it hadn’t worked out I would have taken the wrong decision.
“That’s usually how it works out in football.”
Van Gaal also said Krul’s greater height and reach was the reason he sent the Newcastle keeper on for the World Cup quarter-final penalty shootout win over Costa Rica.
Krul, who is 1,93 metres, replaced the 1,87-metre Cillessen with seconds remaining in the 0-0 draw.
“We all thought Tim was the best keeper to stop penalties,” said Van Gaal. “He is taller and has a longer reach.”
The Manchester United manager added: “It worked out. That was beautiful. I’m a bit proud of that.”
The Netherlands, the only team in the final four not to have won the tournament, will play Argentina in Sao Paulo on Wednesday for a place in the final.
Brazil will face Germany in the first semi-final tomorrow
Krul, whose saves from Bryan Ruiz and Michael Umana were his only two touches of the ball, told BBC Sport: “I psyched them out. You try to do everything you can without being too aggressive. I tried to get in their minds.
“It is something I have dreamed about since I was a little boy — to have that moment when you make the crucial save and then all the boys are running towards you.”
Despite Krul’s match-winning saves he will be back on the bench for the semi-final, with Ajax’s Cillessen in goal.
“There is no question about who will start the next game, it will be Cillessen, but we felt Krul was the better choice here,” said Van Gaal.
Costa Rica midfielder Celso Borges said of the goalkeeping change: “I never saw something like that. But they were right, he did his job.”
Krul tried to speak to the Costa Rica players before they took their penalties, indicating he knew where the ball would go, and the goalkeeper dived the right way for each spot-kick, saving two of the five efforts he faced.
Unheralded Costa Rica, playing in the World Cup finals for only the fourth time, had finished top of a group that included Uruguay, Italy and England before beating Greece on penalties in the last 16 to reach the quarter-finals for the first time.
“I am very proud that we shocked the world,” said Ruiz, the Fulham striker who ended last season on loan at PSV Eindhoven. We did not lose in the World Cup and we go back to Costa Rica with our heads up.”
Costa Rica, with the excellent Keylor Navas in goal, had held out for 120 minutes against a dominant Dutch team who hit the woodwork three times — twice late in normal time and again in the frenetic extra time period.
With extra time almost up, Netherlands coach Van Gaal sent Krul on for Cillessen as the Dutch sought to improve on their record of one victory in five previous shootouts in major tournaments. — AFP.
Online Reporter