Against All Odds: Holland and Costa Rica to go goal crazy

Can anybody stop these two men?

The World Cup quarter-finals are completed by Netherlands and Costa Rica and Paul Robinson is predicting at least three goals.

Netherlands v Costa Rica
Saturday July 5, 21:00 BST
Live on BBC 1

The Netherlands were World Cup finalists in South Africa but they came into this tournament having been written off by most people - including myself. A blistering second half performance against Spain in their opening group game blew that theory out of the water though and while they wobbled in their matches with Australia and then Mexico last time, they are certainly a force to be reckoned with.

Led by Robin Van Persie and Arjen Robben, Louis van Gaal's side have racked up 12 goals in four fixtures, while only keeping one clean sheet themselves. It took them 88 minutes to get on the scoresheet against the Mexicans, but they are probably facing a poorer team today.

Costa Rica not only qualified from a group containing Italy, Uruguay and England, they topped it with seven points. Five perfect penalties against Greece in the last 16 sent them through to this stage and they had to play that match with 10 men from the 66th minute.

It's been a dream run thus far for Jorge Luis Pinto's men but they're going to have to be even better to make the semis. They managed clean sheets in their games with both Italy and England, but the Dutch are much stronger in the forward areas and Robben in particular is in irresistible form.

I can definitely see Holland scoring at least twice here and I wouldn't rule out the Costa Ricans grabbing one themselves. That's why, with under 2.5 goals trading at around the 1.824/5 mark, I have to make them my lay of the day.  

Recommended Bet
Lay Under 2.5 goals in Netherlands v Costa Rica @ 1.824/5 

2014 P/L (1pt each bet)

Wagered: 178 pts
Returned: 189.30 pts
P/L: + 11.63 pts (after commission)
(2013 P/L: + 3.80 pts)
(2012 P/L: + 9.60 pts)