SALVADOR, Brazil – Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal expects Costa Rica to play a similar brand of attacking football as Chile and Mexico used in their unsuccessful attempts to derail the Dutch World Cup campaign.
He expects the same result, too.
Van Gaal wasn't giving away his tactics Friday on the eve of his team's quarterfinal clash with the World Cup's biggest surprise package at Salvador's Arena Fonte Nova.
But he is unlikely to change a formula that defeated Chile and Mexico — defending solidly and looking to strike on the counterattack. And if that doesn't work, switching to a 4-3-3 formation and pushing forward.
If Costa Rica manages to go ahead, Van Gaal is confident his team can battle back from a goal down as it has three times already in Brazil.
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