Holland vs Costa Rica

Penalties looming large. The Dutch don't have a good record in penalties.

Reminds me of Leicester city in the 96 play off V's Palace. O'neil swapped GK's at the death........only for Claridge to score with the last kick

Pressure on Krul. Come on CR.

C'mon Netherlands... Rematch of the '78 final in the next round

Should book Krul to stop him doing that shit again.

Well done Holland. Deserved it by the skin of their teeth but cruel on CR.

Krul was prepared for that. He knew if it went to penalties he would be the man. That's why he was warming up before the end.

Rob said:

PeanutsMolloy said:

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Rob said:

If CR win then the semi final will follow the same lines. CR parking the bus and the opposition hitting them with everything. CR playing to win on penalties. I know it's up to the opposition to break that down and it's all part of the game but I don't like it. It doesn't lend itself to the most exciting game of football.

LOL. Joke right?

No. Exciting now because it's gone to penalties but not a good game in my opinion. Like I said, all part of the game, but not my cup of tea.

Fair enough but, personally, I thought that first 80 mins were more or less as entertaining than any of the other QFs (i.e. not very) and from then on it was considerably more exciting.

Agreed Peanuts, it was exciting at the end. The Dutch just ran out of steam I think and CR could have won it at the end. I think the end result was just though.

Great game, best of the Quarters IMO.

Costa Rica go home as spirited heroes, similar to the the USA.

The Dutch won me round tonight, i hope they win the tournament, especially if Robben stays on his feet more like he did tonight.

PeanutsMolloy said:

Ormiston Addick said:

Thank God the Dutch won, sorry but I don't buy into the brave Costa Rica stuff.

Look at the match stats....

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28069208

.....only one team trying to win that game and I don't have a lot of respect for a team that celebrates wildly just for taking a game to penalties.

It's a World Cup Quarter Final not Man United vs Exeter City in the FA Cup 3rd Round, it's no place for teams to simply sit back and hope for a breakaway or set-piece goal.

At half time, the BBC analysis highlighted that CR were frequently getting 6 men ahead of the ball and 3+ into the box when they mounted their attacks. That's hardly not trying to win the game in normal time.
Is it more exciting to watch Exeter thrashed 6-0 or put up a sterling effort to get a result?

Costa Rica had ONE - yes ONE - shot on target in 120 minutes and that was in the 119th minute of the game from a break.

Most people would judge a teams attacking intent by how many shots on target they have in a game and how much of the ball they have in opposition territory.

The Dutch won on both counts in a landslide - the stats tell you this in black and white.

Add into the mix the fact that the Costa Rican coach was celebrating after 120 minutes and punching the air and you can probably get a fair idea of what he had set out to do.

In a World Cup Quarter Final there is no excuse for that, its a showcase game.

As I said before the tournament started, I can't see beyond Germany to win. I've yet to see any other team to make me change my mind.............

Ormiston Addick said:

PeanutsMolloy said:

Ormiston Addick said:

Thank God the Dutch won, sorry but I don't buy into the brave Costa Rica stuff.

Look at the match stats....

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28069208

.....only one team trying to win that game and I don't have a lot of respect for a team that celebrates wildly just for taking a game to penalties.

It's a World Cup Quarter Final not Man United vs Exeter City in the FA Cup 3rd Round, it's no place for teams to simply sit back and hope for a breakaway or set-piece goal.

At half time, the BBC analysis highlighted that CR were frequently getting 6 men ahead of the ball and 3+ into the box when they mounted their attacks. That's hardly not trying to win the game in normal time.
Is it more exciting to watch Exeter thrashed 6-0 or put up a sterling effort to get a result?

Costa Rica had ONE - yes ONE - shot on target in 120 minutes and that was in the 119th minute of the game from a break.

Most people would judge a teams attacking intent by how many shots on target they have in a game and how much of the ball they have in opposition territory.

The Dutch won on both counts in a landslide - the stats tell you this in black and white.

Add into the mix the fact that the Costa Rican coach was celebrating after 120 minutes and punching the air and you can probably get a fair idea of what he had set out to do.

In a World Cup Quarter Final there is no excuse for that, its a showcase game.

Your confusing attacking intent with attacking success. Costa Rica did commit men forward on a number of occasions, even as late as the end of extra time when any teams looking to solely park the bus would have had everyone inside their own penalty area. Costa Rica were found wanting for quality, not ambition.

Costa Rica played with pride, energy and a whole lot of commitment and deserve a lot of credit. In international terms it wasn't Exeter vs Man Utd, but it was maybe Charlton vs Arsenal - Costa Rica's captain is Brian friggin' Ruiz for goodness sakes whereas the Dutch could put forward RVP, Sneijder, Robben, Kuyt and Huntelaar just to take then pens. Really Costa Rica had no right to be in the Quarter Finals but they nearly made the Semis. If Charlton had put in the kind of underdog performance the Costa Ricans have we'd all be glowing with pride.