Netherlands coach van Gaal says he taught Argentina's Romero how to stop penalties

Argentina's goalkeeper Mariano Andujar, right, congratulates goalkeeper Sergio Romero after the World Cup semifinal soccer match between the Netherlands and Argentina at the Itaquerao Stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Wednesday, July 9, 2014. Argentina beat the Netherlands 4-2 in a penalty shootout to reach the World Cup final. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (The Associated Press)

Argentina's goalkeeper Sergio Romero saves a penalty kick by the Netherlands' Wesley Sneijder during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between the Netherlands and Argentina at the Itaquerao Stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Wednesday, July 9, 2014. Argentina beat the Netherlands 4-2 in a penalty shootout to reach the World Cup final against Germany. (AP Photo/Fabrizio Bensch, Pool) (The Associated Press)

SAO PAULO – Louis van Gaal took some credit for showing Argentina's Sergio Romero how to stop penalties, advice that cost the Netherlands coach dearly on Wednesday.

Romero stopped two spot kicks as Argentina beat van Gaal's Dutch team 4-2 in a penalty shootout in the World Cup semifinals, advancing to the final against Germany.

Van Gaal, who worked with Romero at Dutch club Alkmaar in 2007-2009, said "I taught Romero to stop penalties, so that hurts."

Romero says "It's luck, that's the truth. You can dive and not make it, like their goalkeeper did. I had confidence, thank God things turned out."

Romero, who isn't even a starter in his club team Monaco, now has three straight clean sheets in the World Cup, and has only conceded three goals in the tournament.