DHAKA: Netherlands finally put an end to an unbelievable fairy tale of Costa Rica rising from the group of death playing consistently well and defending doggedly against a resurging Dutch team firing with all guns blazing.
It took 120 minutes and Penalty kick shoot out to get the better of Costa Rica. The match ended with Netherlands winning it 4-3. Dutch Coach Replacing Goal Keeper at the last minute of the game worked wonder.
Tim Krul saved two of the 5 spot kicks while Dutch scored 4 of 4. Netherlands won and set a date for an epic semifinal with favorite Argentina. Costa Rica can go home with their heads high for a wonderful world cup.
If ever any match played in world cup which no sides deserved to lose it was that match. One of the inform team Holland was up against the surprise package of the tournament Costa Rica on a dream run.
120 minutes of breath taking playing time including 30 minutes extra time failed to break the dead lock. The match rolled on to penalty kick off. The superior spot kick skills and stronger nerves caused the orange bearers putting an end to the fairy tale beating the brave Costa Ricans 4-3 in penalty shoot out.
At the end the better team won. But Costa Ricans deserve all the praise for producing one of the most entertaining and lively match in the annals of world cup. It had everything short of a goal. Many chances came on the way of both sides and as expected Holland had lions share. Costa Ricans defended doggedly or the cross piece and side bar came on the way.
In penalty shoot out Dutch sharp shooters scored from 4 out of four while Chillessen saved two of the 5 those Ricans struck. Holland won but Costa Ricans can go home with their heads high. Ricans will be definitely waiting to welcome their heroes.
Wesley Sneijder struck the post with an audacious free-kick effort as the game looked set for a grand slam finish. Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben and co were seeking a semi-final date with Argentina.
Holland reached quarter-finals following dramatic 2-1 win over Mexico. Netherlands equalized in 88th minute before netting winner in stoppage time. Costa Rica on the other hand edged past Greece 5-3 on penalties after drawing 1-1 in last 16.
Earlier, both team qualified from their respective group of deaths. Holland caused head line news in the very first match flooring the former world cup Champions Spain with a knockout punch.
World Champions were shocked and awed with a 5-1 killer punch. Holland went on beating Chile and Australia. Rank outsiders Costa Rica surprised the football world in topping the other group of death having three former World Champions Italy, Uruguay and England.
Ricans started with bang turning the table on Uruguay in the very first match. Then they buried the dreams of Italy and England. Two former world champions went home from the first round but tiny Ricans scripted the fairy tale.
First Half:
The action packed encounter had a slowish start which caught the eyes more for tactics than anything else. Costa Rica had five defenders sitting deep, while Holland had gone with a 3-4-3 - also known as attack at all costs.
Costa Rica had the first real opportunity coming their way as early as the sixth minute Maybe I'm being harsh on Costa Rica but I'm surprised Holland haven't even threatened yet.
In fact Costa Rica had the first opportunity with a free-kick swinging into the box just evading Los Ticos attackers. The Dutch responded soon through Robben ran on a dangerous charge down the right flank, but upon reaching the byline was tackled by Giancarlo Gonzalez at the cost of a corner.
A few times they have attacked down the right, but an attempted through pass for Robin van Persie has failed twice now - and failed pretty badly too. I'm surprised it's taken this long but here comes a Mexican Wave from the bored crowd. At the early stage the Dutch were looking to conserve energy possibly playing on the nerves of the Ricans in their first ever quarter finals in the World Cup.
17min:
Holland was seen casually passing the ball around at the back with no real idea on how to get past this Costa Rica defence.
First chance real opportunity came to the Dutch way in the 22 minutes when! Dirk Kuyt's superb cut-back found an unmarked Memphis Depay on the edge of the box, who teed up Robin van Persie on the left side of the penalty area.
The Holland striker saw his shot blocked, cleared by Keylor Navas though, who was quickly back on his feet to deny Wesley Sneijder's slightly scuffed rebound. Costa Rica had their moments too in the first 30 minutes.
They not only defended admirably but also counter attacked creating nervous moments in the Dutch defence. A ball whipped towards the back post was directed towards Celso Borges whose jump was just an inch or two short of connecting with a header.
Rican Goal Keeper Navas who already made a name at this world stage made another spectacular save 30 minutes into the game off Depay. Costa Rica got a free kick in 33 rd minute as Van Persie has been forced back into his own brought down Johnny Acosta.
Christian Bolanos whipped the free-kick into the penalty area but this time Jasper Cilleseen is off his line to confidently claim.
Navas again came to the rescue of his team in the 39th minute when Robben dummied it, and Wesley Sneijder's curling effort had plenty of power as it headed for the top corner, but Navas sprung like a well spring to dive to his right and punched the ball behind.
It was a wonderful acrobatic save. Navas again stood between Dutch waves of attack and his team’s last line of defence in the dying minutes of the first half. The Costa Rica keeper read well a Robben through pass superbly as he raced off his line to claim the ball at the feet of Van Persie. Costa Rica could hold the Dutch nil –nil till the lemon time. They were not overwhelmed though.
Arjen Robben had his moments in the first half, but a stubborn Costa Rica defence prevented the Bayern Munich forward from being able to constantly penetrate their penalty area.
Second Half:
First five minutes witnessed another slowish start. The first move of note came in the 52nd minute when Robben took a tumble as Michael Umana sent him flying with a clumsy sliding challenge which saw him picking up a yellow card and gave the Dutch a free-kick to the right of the box.
Robben played a short sharp pass to the edge of the box but Bryan Ruiz read the free-kick well to close down recipient Sneijder who hurried, blasted a first-time shot way over the bar.
The 61st minute evidenced why Holland could not rest on their laurels. Diaz lead a very rare Rican counter attack down the left, before his low cross results in Bruno Martins Indi bundling over Joel Campbell in the box. Ricans failed squeeze anything from the consequent free kick.
68th minute saw a Desperate but effective Costa Rican defending. Robben played a one-two with Van Persie inside the box, but as he went to collect the return pass, Urena was back to boot the ball behind for a corner.
Holland started getting a bit nervy as time ticked by. The last 10 minutes of the match witnessed series of Dutch attacks and brave Costa Rica defending.
On the 81st minute Dutch was insisting for a Penalty and got a free-kick as Robben showed an incredible turn of pace to dart past Gonzalez who brought out his arm to haul down Robben on the very corner of the box. His attempted clothesline earns him a booking and a suspension from the semi-final should Los Ticos get there.
On 83rd minutes another sweet Dutch move saw the ball coming off the post. Sneijder’s near post free-kick finally beat Navas but not the woodwork as his strike bounced off the frame of the goal and back into play before Costa Rica scrambled the loose ball clear.
On 84th minute Navas again to the rescue! Surrounded by Costa Rica players in the box, Van Persie dummied two with a superb turn but his shot from an acute angle was blocked by the keeper. There was just no way Dutch could get past him!
On 88minute Robin Van Persie missed a sitter. Sneijder's chipped ball to the back post. It was a perfect one for Van Persie who somehow completely miskicked from six yards out as the ball bounces out of play. Jaws fell to the ground all over the world as one of the game's best finishers somehow blew a golden opportunity to score.
Credit to Costa Rica that they survived the full 90 minutes unhurt and forced the match to extra time.
Extra Time: The first and Second Extra time saw several attacks and counter attacks. Dutch kept probing with three top strikers in world football Robin, Robben and Sneijdewere desperately hunting for the winner.
Somehow either Navas made good saves, defenders cleared from goal line after the ball beating Navas was heading for the goal or the gaol post came on the way. Costa Rica in counter attacks also created few opportunities. Brave Costa Ricans deservingly earned a 0-0 clean sheet over 120 minutes. Penalty shootout is a lottery which any side can win.
With Penalty shoot out looming Dutch Boss Louis van Gaal made a master stroke. He sent in Tim Krul on for the penalty shootout replacing Cillessen, Costa Rica was hoping against hope.
They scored all five spot-kicks in their shootout over Greece in the previous round, while Holland had a shoot-out record which (somehow) is just as bad as England's.
Holland reversed the record. Costa Rica this time could score only 3 out of 5 and the last minute Dutch Substitute Keeper Tim Krul saved two; Bryan Ruiz and Michael Umana failing to score. Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben, Giancarlo Gonzalez and Wesley Sneijder all scored for Holland making it 4-3 for them with the fifth Dutch Kick not required.
Netherlands was the deserving winner but what a dream World Cup for a tiny Central American Country Costa Rica. They have nothing to be disheartened. They will definitely be greeted as heroes on home return for glorifying the nation.
Holland: Cillessen (Tim Krul), De Vrij, Vlaar, Martins Indi, Depay, Wijnaldum, Blind, Kuyt, Sneijder, Van Persie, and Robben.
Subs: Vorm, De Jong, Janmaat, de Guzman, Verhaegh, Veltman, Kongolo, Clasie, Lens, Fer, Huntelaar, Krul.
Costa Rica: Navas, Gamboa, Acosta, Diaz, Gonzalez, Ruiz, Borges, Tejeda, Bolanos, Campbell, Umana.
Subs: Pemberton, Duarte, Myrie, Barrantes, Francis, Granados, Brenes, Miller, Calvo, Urena, Cubero, Cambronero.
Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)
BDST: 0849 HRS, JUL 6, 2014
** What Can Brazil Do?
