It was Goalkeeper Tim Krul’s day at Norwich as he helped his team to lead to victory in the FA Cup. the 31-year-old revealed the bottle trick that helped the team to get victory over Tottenham.
The club smashed the Spurs, which was their only chance to survive in the season, and despite being ahead by 1-0 into the final 15 minutes the club messed it up. Jan Vertonghen initially opened the account and scored for the hosts with an outstanding header from Giovani Lo Celso’s free-kick after 13 minutes.
And it all looked easy for the Spurs to get into the quarter-finals, goalkeeper Michel Vorm’s mistake allowed a room of opportunity for Josip Drmic to balance with 12 minutes remaining and send the game to extra-time.
What followed was an inseparable and nerve-wracking action by the two teams for 30 minutes, and it was then where a spot-kicks were required. Norwich read the game quickly and came from behind to claim victory, with Kenny McLean missing their first effort from 12 yards.
Later, Erik Lamela followed McLean’s failed attempt up by clipping the edge of the crossbar, before Krul made sure to keep Troy Parrott and Gedson Fernandes’ out of the territory and helping his men get the victory.
Krul is also known as a penalty specialist; he was tagged with this designation when Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal took the unusual step of sending him on in the 120th minute of their 2014 World Cup quarter-final against Costa Rica, a move that finally paid off as he saved two spot-kicks in their shootout victory.
The water bottle clearly indicated that he has prepared himself quite well last night, However, Krul stated that will he was ready to hit the shootout the 31-year-old also admitted he mixed up one of the instructions on his water bottle.
“When this happens you realize why you do it for,” he said.
“As a little boy, you want to save penalties and get your club through to the next round. Big emotions today. “I was so close to the first one but I and my goalie coach are always doing the homework. I had it on my bottle.
“I think I mixed up one of the players but it all happens in the shootout, with the nerves and adrenaline. What a place to do it as well, and for 9,000 fans to be here on a Wednesday night.”
