World Cup

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Attendance: 41,242

World Cup | Round of 16

Jun 29, 2014 at 9pm UK

Costa Rica
1-1
Greece

Ruiz (52')
Duarte (66')

FT
(aet)

Papastathopoulos (90+1')

Costa Rica win 5-3 on penalties

Keylor Navas: 'I knew where Theofanis Gekas would put penalty'

By Steven Toplis, Reporter

Published: June 30 2014 | 10:33

Last updated: July 1 2014 | 00:26

Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas reveals that his penalty save from Greece's Theofanis Gekas was down to knowledge that he gained when they played for Levante.

Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas has admitted that his penalty save from Greece's Theofanis Gekas was down to knowledge that he gained when they were teammates at Levante.

The 27-year-old made the crucial save in the World Cup second-round clash, which allowed Michael Umana to send the Central Americans into the quarter-finals for the first time in their history.

Gekas spent three months with Spanish side Levante in 2012, and Navas has said that he remembered where the striker aims his spot kicks from their days on the training ground.

"We played together at Levante and I remembered what he used to do in training," Navas told FIFA.com.

"I was confident he wasn't going to change the way he takes his penalties and in the end I was able to keep it out.

"My teammates also deserve praise for putting all their penalties away. I took confidence from that and it definitely helped me."

Costa Rica will play the Netherlands in the last eight on Saturday.