TheCable

Tim Krul was the hero despite coming on only in the last minute of extra time, saving two penalties to send Holland through to the World Cup semi-finals.

Wesley Sneijder, who went close to breaking the deadlock eight minutes from the end of normal time with a curling free-kick, struck the bar in the dying stages of extra-time.

Striker Robin van Persie also went close in normal time, but saw his shot hit the bar after deflecting off a defender on the goal-line.

Costa Ricans were indebted to goalkeeper Keylor Navas for keeping them in the tie, but it was Louis Van Gaal’s maverick goalkeeping substitution late on that decided this tie.

The Netherlands were constantly probing, with Arjen Robben and Sneijder causing problems all across the Costa Ricans’ 18-yard box.

Sneijder saw a late free kick rattle the post before Robin van Persie missed the best chance of normal time.

Van Persie somehow fluffed his lines from five yards, only being able to connect with thin air as Sneijder’s pin-point cross came to nothing.

The United man was unfortunate seconds later as his drive took a deflection off a defender onto another on the line, who then scooped his clearance onto his body and off the bar to safety.

The Central Americans took it to extra time, but they were absolutely out on their feet as they attempted to repel wave after wave of Oranje assaults.

They did manage a few of their own, though, in what turned out to be an absolutely pulsating 30 minutes of extra time, as Jasper Cillessen was forced into a smart save down one end before Sneijder somehow found time to rattle the bar.

Krul was brought on in injury time of extra time to face the penalty shootout, as neither side could force a breakthrough.

The Toon stopper made an immediate impact, palming Bryan Ruiz’s penalty away to hand his side the advantage early in the shootout.

And it was one they never let slip, as, following a series of converted kicks, the Newcastle man kept the Costa Ricans’ fifth spot kick out to send his side through 4-3 on penalties.

Holland will now face Argentina in the semifinal, a repeat of their quarter final clash in 1998 and 1978 World Cup final game in Buenos Aries.