Sports

Krul in dreamland after shoot-out switch

Staff Correspondent
Netherlands' goalkeeper Tim Krul saves a penalty by Costa Rica's defender Michael Umana during the penalty shootout after the extra time in the quarter-final football match between Netherlands and Costa Rica at the Fonte Nova Arena in Salvador during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on July 5, 2014. AFP
Netherlands' goalkeeper Tim Krul saves a penalty by Costa Rica's defender Michael Umana during the penalty shootout after the extra time in the quarter-final football match between Netherlands and Costa Rica at the Fonte Nova Arena in Salvador during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on July 5, 2014. AFP

Goalkeeper Tim Krul called it a "dream come true" Saturday after he was boldly brought on as a penalty-kicks specialist and saved two against Costa Rica to put the Netherlands into the semi-finals.

The towering Newcastle United custodian replaced Jasper Cillessen in the last minute of extra-time in an outlandish gambit by Manchester United-bound coach Louis van Gaal.

"I knew before the game that the possibility was there. If we had one more substitution the manager said that he would consider putting me in goal and it happened," the 1.93m (six feet three inches) Krul said.

"It's a dream come true for me. I watched the penalties. We've been preparing with all the goalkeepers and the goalkeeper coach."

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