World Cup

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Attendance: 41,242

World Cup | Round of 16

Jun 29, 2014 at 9pm UK

Costa Rica
1-1
Greece

Ruiz (52')
Duarte (66')

FT
(aet)

Papastathopoulos (90+1')

Costa Rica win 5-3 on penalties

Keylor Navas: "We're making history"

By Simon Sinclair, Reporter

Published: June 30 2014 | 04:03

Last updated: June 30 2014 | 23:27

Costa Rica keeper Keylor Navas reveals that his crucial save in his side's penalty shootout win against Greece in the last 16 of the World Cup was pure instinct.

Costa Rica keeper Keylor Navas has admitted that his save to deny Theofanis Gekas in his side's World Cup win over Greece was pure instinct.

The 27-year-old made the crucial stop in the shootout in Recife that allowed Michael Umana to send Jorge Luis Pinto's men into the last eight of the tournament for the first time in their history.

Navas told FIFA.com: "I'm happy and grateful to God for this feeling after another important win for us and the whole country. It was not an easy game at all, and while there were times when we had control, there were also periods when the opposition were on top.

"Obviously being a man down made a difference, but we never gave up. As for my save at the end, I can't remember what was going through my mind.

"All I did was react and keep it out. You can practise penalties and study what the takers do, but I have to hand it to my teammates, who were 100% on target. We're making history and we want to have a place in people's hearts forever."

Costa Rica will face the Netherlands in their quarter-final clash later this week.