Netherlands FINALLY Make it Past the RESOLUTE Costa Rica and have a Date with Argentina

Holland hit the post about four times. The ball got cleared off the line. Navas was a FREAKING FREAK in goal, and it all seemed like Netherlands would pay for not winning it in the ninety minutes. But there is a determination and steel about this Dutch team. Those penalties showed how DETERMINED they were to WIN...and as for Van Gaal bringing on Krul...what can you say....?

Fourteen years ago, around this time, Holland played against Italy in a tournament hosted IN THEIR CRIBB. Never have I seen one team TOTALLY dominate another for a hundred and twenty minutes...and lose.

Holland missed TWO penalties, hit the bar about four times and just POSSESSED that Italian ass. But Italy somehow survived, it went to penalties and Holland crumbled. One of the most ridiculous matches I'd ever seen with Rijkaard in tears afterwards. It was looking like deja-vu folks....

Navas was just saving EVERYTHING. Holland could not get past him. He seemed to be like an octopus with getting a hand on anything and everything. The parallels to fourteen years ago against Italy were so clear and it would have been yet another painful Dutch loss.

In the second half of extra-time, when Sneijder hit the post, finally beating Navas, I thought that was it. Costa Rica were DESTINED to win, and did not know if Holland would have the resolve and mental fortitude to DIG in and extract the strength needed to take part in a penalty-shootout.

I was probably the only one who kept quiet when Van Gaal brought on Krul in extra-time. The commentary talked of how crazy the decision was, and what an insult to Cliessen it was. For me, I understood it. Either it WORKS or it doesn't work. And even if Krul did not manage to save a single penalty...I still UNDERSTOOD it. Are any of us in the Dutch training camp? EVERYONE takes part in training penalty-shootouts and what happens is every player takes a turn taking a penalty, with the goalkeepers alternating. Van Gaal obviously saw that Krul was a better shot-stooper from eighteen yards than his younger counter-part. Simple Dutch Mathematics.

Both of those Krul saves were damn good. I've been a keeper before, I've won a penalty-shootout for my team, and I can tell when the saves are from bad penalties or just good saves. Krul made GOOD saves, with the decisive one being the best from a very good penalty.

The last time that Holland met Argentina? I think we all know what happened. A certain SPECIALIST executed in the final moments with one of the GREAT World Cup goals to send Holland into a semi with Brazil....a potential final-matchup.

But the Dutch must enjoy this and turn their sights to a WEAKER Argentine team than they faced SIXTEEN (damn, I'm getting old) years ago. But....one slight and small difference...they will have the best player in the world on their team.

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