Two nations chasing World Cup glory will do battle today in a match between the Netherlands and Costa Rica. The 2014 World Cup quartefinal match scheduled for 4 p.m. ET will be held at the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador and can be live streamed here free. A free Spanish language stream of the match can be found here. Free radio coverage here. Additional TV coverage can be found on ESPN, Univision and ESPN Deportes.
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For the tiny nation of Costa Rica, the quarterfinals of a World Cup is uncharted territory. Los Ticos have never ventured this far in their history. Such a remarkable feat, however, won't suffice. Captain Bryan Ruiz can't control his elation, but he remains adamant that Costa Rica have arrived in Salvador to claim more.
"Maybe in a few months this will all sink in, but for right now, we're just trying to enjoy what we're living," Ruiz said (via FIFA). "I was really dead [at the end against Greece]. My calves, my thighs, I had cramps everywhere.They [my teammates] just kept running and the work they did was incredible."
"We have nothing to lose," he added. "We've come so far and done so much, but we want more. We want to continue on and see how far this can go."
Will Costa Rica be able to advance farther with a victory over the Netherlands this afternoon? Tell us @SportsWN
Tactical Preview
Player to Watch: Pulling off the upset of the tournament requires leadership. Jorge Luis Pinto has provided it from the sideline, but on the pitch, that responsibility belongs to captain Bryan Ruiz. In addition to his two goals, the 28-year-old is averaging one successful take-on and 1.8 key passes per match. His ability to provide a link and support to Joel Campbell will be the driving force behind Costa Rica's attack. Los Ticos will have zero chance of being effective if their No. 9 is left alone on an island.
Netherlands' Projected Lineup (3-4-1-2): Cillessen; Depay, Indi, Vlaar, Vrij, Kuyt; Blind, Wijnaldum, Sneijder; Robben, Persie
Costa Rica's Projected Lineup (5-4-1): Navas; Diaz, Umaña, Gonzalez, Acosta, Gamboa; Bolaños, Tejeda, Borges, Ruiz; Campbell
Note: Credit all statistics to officially licensed data from Opta Sports (via WhoScored).
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