Newcastle keeper Tim Krul came off the bench to star in a penalty shoot-out as Holland edged past plucky Costa Rica to reach the semi finals after a stalemate in Salvador.
Louis van Gaal caused a major stir by replacing Jasper Cillessen in the final moment of extra time, but it proved to be a masterstroke as the Magpies stopper kept out spot-kicks from Michael Umana and Bryan Ruiz to lead Oranje to a 4-3 success.
The Dutch made hard work of a clash they were heavy favourites to win with Los Ticos goalkeeper Keylor Navas, a contender for stopper of the tournament, pulling off a series of superb saves to deny Robin van Persie, Memphis Depay and Wesley Sneijder.
Oranje laboured for long periods but stepped up a gear in the last 10 minutes and should have won it in normal time.
First
Welsey Sneijder's free kick from the left side of the area cannoned
back off the post before he teased in a sensational cross that van
Persie somehow missed from six yards out.
Costa Rica were again
let off the hook in the third moment of stoppage time when van Persie
saw his close-range shot deflect off the knee of Yeltsin Tejeda and onto the crossbar.Los Ticos had a penalty shout in extra time when Marco Urena was tumbled by Bruno Martins Indi and the forward also had a shot well saved before Sneijder saw another effort come back off the bar.
The
Costa Ricans were hoping to become the first CONCACAF nation to reach
the last four since the USA in 1930 but it wasn't to be as Krul came off
the bench to keep out two spot kicks.
Oranje will now face Argentina in a mouth-watering semi final in Sao Paulo on Wednesday.
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