SAO PAULO: At Argentina’s first official news conference at the World Cup, Sergio Romero sat besides coach Alejandro Sabella at a packed conference hall at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium.

Romero, for many, was the weakest link in Argentina’s World Cup squad. He said he’d practiced well for the tournament and wouldn’t let his side down. And when it really mattered on Tuesday, he certainly didn’t.

Two crucial saves in the 4-2 penalty shootout win over the Netherlands after a goalless draw at the Arena Corinthians saw Argentina reach their first final since 1990.And in a side featuring the explosive talents of Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain, it was Romero who stood out.

“Penalties are all about luck, that is the reality. I had confidence and thanks to God it turned out well,” he admitted in a post-match press conference after receiving the man-of-the-match award.

“We go away happy and now we will prepare for the final from tomorrow. The moment should be enjoyed and we are going step by step.”

Romero’s place in the squad was the subject of debate going into the World Cup after he spent almost all of the last season on the bench at Ligue 1 side Monaco.

But his penalty saves from Ron Vlaar and Wesley Sneijder helped Argentina set up a final clash with Germany at the Maracana on Sunday.”

ROMERO saves the penalty from Wesley Sneijder.—AP

The 27-year-old admitted that a lot of thoughts were running through his mind during the shootout.“‘I had my colleagues from the bench helping me where each player could shoot,” Romero, who stopped Vlaar’s penalty by diving to his right and Sniejder’s by diving to the left, said.

“I was thinking Sneijder was going to shoot there,” Romero said.

“I was also thinking that [Arjen] Robben was going to shoot to my left and then he ended up shooting to the other side and that’s why I was so mad.”

Netherlands coach Louis Van Gaal joked after the match that he had taught Romero how to save penalties when he was his boss at Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, where the Argentine played for four seasons from 2007-2011.

“I taught Romero to stop penalties, so that hurts,” said Van Gaal, who was at Alkmaar from 2007-2009.And Romero had warm words for him.

“I went to the dressing room to thank him [Van Gaal],” Romero added.

“He is someone who helped me a lot when I arrived in Holland, in a completely different country, with different customs, where they spoke a completely different language.

“At the beginning I didn’t speak a word, and he spoke Spanish and he helped me a lot. So just as I am grateful to Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella, I am also grateful to Van Gaal for everything he did for me.”

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2014