Argentina reached the World Cup final for the first time since their 1986 triumph as they beat Netherlands in a penalty shootout in Sao Paulo on Wednesday.
The match had to be decided on penalties after the two sides had remained locked on 0-0 after extra time.
In stark contrast to Germany’s 7-1 annihilation of Brazil 24 hours earlier, both teams played cautious football at the Arena Corinthians and there were few chances in a goalless 90 minutes.
Having introduced goalkeeper Tim Krul off the bench to replace number
one Jasper Cillessen in the quarter-final shoot-out win over Costa Rica, Louis van Gaal had no such options this time around as the Dutch had used all three substitutes by that point.
And it was to be Sergio Romero rather than the young Cillessen who emerged as the hero.
Romero saved from Ron Vlaar and Wesley Sneijder and it was Maxi
Rodriguez’s spot-kick which sealed Argentina’s victory.