VIDEO: Tim Krul's 2 saves send Dutch to semifinals
"Penalty-stopping expert."
It's a rare designation in soccer, and perhaps not something for young goalkeepers to aspire to (there are far more important aspects of the game), but it's an apt description of Netherlands goalkeeper Tim Krul right now.
Krul entered the Netherlands' quarterfinal match against Costa Rica as a last-minute substitute (literally) and proceeded to save two of the Ticos' penalties, shepherding the Dutch on to the next round.
Krul was cool and cocky, simultaneously calming Dutch nerves, injecting his teammates with confidence and making manager Louis van Gaal look like a genius.
Incredibly, Krul's two saves on Costa Rica's four attempts equal his career total on penalties (2/32). It immediately became apparent he's done his homework, as he guessed which way to dive for each of Costa Rica's penalty attempts.
Here's the save that capped the victory:
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