Soccer World Cup 2014: Netherlands Defeats Costa Rica on Penalty Kicks - by Jere Longman

With a World Cup quarterfinal in the closing moments of extra time on Saturday, Louis van Gaal, the coach of the Netherlands, made a move that was as bold as it was rare.

As penalty kicks loomed in a 0-0 game, he replaced his starting goalkeeper, Jasper Cillessen, with Tim Krul, who had not played in the tournament but was confident to the point of haughtiness in a 4-3 victory in the shootout.

After growing frustrated against Costa Rica, which seemed mostly content to sit back, surrender possession and play for penalty kicks, the Dutch became assured and clinical. The Netherlands made all of its penalty kicks, and the 6-foot-4 Krul made two dramatic saves after appearing to try to intimidate the Costa Ricans.

Some commentators found his animated behavior unsporting, but Krul’s teammates mobbed him and his country celebrated an improbable hero as the Oranje advanced to a semifinal against Argentina on Wednesday in São Paulo.

“That is not normal,” Krul, 26, said of spending about 120 minutes on the bench and then entering with the pressure of advancing his team.

Read more: World Cup 2014: Netherlands Defeats Costa Rica on Penalty Kicks - NYTimes.com