Week 5

The round of 8 didn't produce many spectacular games but the best out of all of them was one when you see the final score line you wouldn't expect it to have been that exiting, but it was. The game was contested by The Netherlands and the Surprise package of the whole tournament, a team not expected to qualify from their group let alone get this far, Costa Rica.

Here's how they lined up against each other-

Netherlands-

1- Cillessen (GK) (Krul)

2- Vlarr

3- De Vrij 

4- Martins Indi (Huntelaar)

5- Blind

9- Van Persie (C)

10- Sneijder 

11- Robben

15- Kuyt 

20- Wijnaldum

Memphis (Lens)

Costa Rica- 

1- Navas (GK)

2- Acosta

3- Gonzalez 

4- Umana 

5- Borges

7- Bolanos 

9- Campbell (Urena)

10- Ruiz

15- Diaz

16- Gamboa (Myrie)

17- Tejeda (Cubero)

The whole of the first half never really had any significant moments the only player who looked dangerous was Arjen Robben but he couldn't find a way past Navas in the Costa Rica goal. Memphis Depay then had a great chance to score from a Dirk Kuyt cross but he couldn't find the target. The second half went on was exactly the same, Robben was the controller in the middle of the park but nothing could happen in them finding a goal and the game was now going into Extra time. The only real chance in Extra time came near the end when Blind put a beautiful cross to the back post where Robin Van Persie was waiting only for the defender Tejeda to deflect the shot onto the crossbar and see the ball go out of play. The Dutch manager, Louis Van Gaal then made at the time what seem as strange decision when he swapped goalkeepers and brought on Newcastle player, Tim Krul. We were now heading for a penalty shoot out. The first penalty was scored by Costa Rica's Borges. Robin Van Persie then made it 1-1 in the shoot out after he converted his spot kick. Bryan Ruiz stepped up next but missed his kick, Costa Rica remained on 1. Robben then scored his kick and the advantage was now with the Dutch. Gonzalez scored his kick to make it 2-2 and put pressure on Sneijder to score his kick which he had no problem with. Bolanos scored his goal and it was 3-3. Dirk Kuyt then stepped up and the former Liverpool man scored his kick and it only needed a miss from Costa Rica in the next kick to send The Netherlands through. The pressure to score was now on Umana but the change Van Gaal made proved to be a good choice as Krul stretched well to reach the shot and put The Netherlands into the next round, The semi final. 

          

Tim Krul saving the decisive penalty from Umana to send the Dutch to their second World Cup semi final in a row.  

FT: NETHERLANDS 0-0 COSTA RICA 

(4-3 PENALTIES)