Salvador (Brazil), July 6 (IANS): Dutch goalkeeper Tim Krul, whose stunning saves in the penalty shoot-outs gave the Netherlands a great win over Costa Rica in the World Cup quarter-final, said that he would study his team's semi-final opponents Argentina as well.
Krul said he has been observing the penalty takers of all the teams and he would be well prepared if his team faces another penalty shoot-out in Wednesday's semi-final against Argentina in Sao Paolo.
"I'll study Argentina as well. We've been studying and planning what we're going to do before every game with all the goalkeepers and the goalkeeping coach, so we're going to do that again," Krul told FIFA.com.
The 26-year-old Newcastle United goalkeeper was finding it hard to believe that his two stunning saves pulled off a brilliant win for the 2010 runners-up in the quarter-final here Saturday. Krul came off as a substitute just seconds before the end of the extra time, a move that was planned by Dutch coach Louis van Gaal well in advance.
"It's surreal, I can't describe it at the moment. Seeing the boys run towards me: I've seen that so many times on TV after goalkeepers save penalties and win the game. That it's me tonight in a World Cup quarter-final is something surreal and I don't think it'll sink in for a couple of days," Krul was quoted as saying by FIFA.com.
Revealing his secret of penalty-saving, Krul said: "I watched them (Costa Rica) against Greece and studied them and I told the players that I knew where they were going to shoot to make them a bit nervous."
Krul said that it has happened with him in the past when he challenged Frank Lampard to stop his penalty kick.
"Maybe it worked. It happened before when I played against Frank Lampard: I told him that I knew and I saved it. I just tried that again. I'm so happy it worked today," he said.