Argentina reaches in Final after 24 years

Sau Paulo.Argentina reached the World Cup final on Wednesday after beating the Netherlands 4-2 in a penalty shootout.

Goalkeeper Sergio Romero saved penalties by Ron Vlaar and Wesley Sneijder to give Argentina the win after the game finished 0-0 following extra time. Maxi Rodriguez put away the winning spot kick.

Argentina will play Germany in Sunday’s final at the Maracana Stadiumin Rio de Janeiro.

Netherlands-Argentina semifinal goes to penalties

SAO PAULO: For the second straight World Cup match, the Netherlands is going to a penalty shootout after its semifinal against Argentina

ended in a 0-0 stalemate.

A day after Germany thrashed Brazil 7-1, the goals dried up in the rain at Sao Paulo’s Itaquerao Stadium.

Lionel Messi had a 20th-minute free kick saved by Jasper Cillessen, and Gonzalo Higuain’s shot into the sidenetting in the 75th. For the

Dutch, Arjen Robben came closest to scoring in stoppage time but Javier Masherano blocked his effort at the near post.

Extra time failed to produce a decider and the teams headed to the shootout.

Louis van Gaal’s team also failed to score against Costa Rica, before prevailing from the penalty spot.