NETHERLANDS v COSTA RICA: Dutch trust Van Gaal to do right

Rio de Janeiro (dpa) - The Netherlands may have lost hard-tackling Nigel de Jong for their World Cup quarter-final against Costa Rica, but no-one around the Dutch team doubts that coach Louis van Gaal will find a suitable solution in defensive midfield.

Faith in the 62-year-old coach knows no bounds after four straight wins in Brazil, including the late victory in the last 16 against Mexico when van Gaal used the cooling break in Fortaleza to change tactics.

"Louis Genigaal" was De Telegraaf's headline praising the coach's ingenuity, so the shock of losing De Jong for Saturday's match in Salvador was tempered by the belief that all will be safe in Van Gaal's hands.

"We have a fantastic coach who knows exactly what player he has to bring on and when," said winger Arjen Robben, who also played under Van Gaal at Bayern Munich.

Van Gaal is experiencing a highlight of his already highly successful coaching career. He has won league titles in the Netherlands, Spain and Germany, and was Champions League winner with Ajax in 1995. The goalscorer in the 1-0 victory over AC Milan in the final was Patrick Kluivert, his current assistant.

Van Gaal's first spell as Dutch coach ended in failure when the Oranje failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup, and Van Gaal stepped down as manager in January of that year to be replaced by Dick Advocaat.

Now, at his first World Cup finals, everything seems to be coming off.

It began with the 5-1 demolition of outgoing world champions Spain using a 5-3-2 system rather than the traditional Dutch 4-3-3. Against Australia he sent on substitute Memphis Depay who scored the winner in the 3-2 victory. The 2-0 defeat of Chile in the last group game also came after he sent on goalscorers Leroy Fer and Depay.

Then in the dramatic late 2-1 win against Mexico it was substitute Klaas-Jan Huntelaar who came on to convert the stoppage-time penalty, with Robben moved from the left to the right flank.

Striker Robin van Persie, who had made way for Huntelaar in the 76th minute, said: "I have never experienced a coach like Van Gaal who can always forecast what actually ends up happening."

Van Persie can now look forward to working with Van Gaal, who takes over next season at Manchester United.

Van Gaal is meanwhile enjoying the plaudits in Brazil after the Dutch have done better than many back home had predicted.

The coach, who was awarded the Order of the Oranje-Nassau in 1997, has never lacked self-confidence even if an imperious nature is not to everyone's liking.

"I think the World Cup is coming at the right time because people now have the opportunity of getting to know Louis van Gaal better," said Van Gaal, in customary manner.

Will he now change tactics again, perhaps back to the 4-3-3 system used to great effect late on against Mexico, against a Costa Rica side expected to start cautiously. Or will he stick with 5-3-2, with the option of changing during the match if necessary?

Van Gaal is his own man in this respect and probably may not listen to the likes of former great Johann Cruyff, who would like to see the Dutch playing 4-3-3.

Whatever he decides, the players trust he will get it right.