Tim Krul has said that making two saves for the Netherlands in their penalty-shootout victory against Costa Rica was "like a dream come true".

The 26-year-old came on for Jasper Cillessen at the end of extra time in their World Cup quarter-final tie as the game headed towards penalties.

In the shootout, Krul saved from Bryan Ruiz and Michael Umana to send his country through to a last-four clash against Argentina.

"I knew there was a chance I would come on if we still had a substitution left," he told NOS. "I already started to get a bit anxious toward the end of the game.

"That things panned out like this is like a dream come true. You can't understand what I went through."

Krul was making his seventh appearance for the Netherlands national side.