Shootout win can fuel Norwich survival bid, says Krul
Soccer Football - FA Cup Fifth Round - Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - March 4, 2020 Norwich City's Tim Krul and Grant Hanley celebrate winning the penalty shootout Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
Norwich City hero Tim Krul said the FA Cup penalty shootout win at Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday could spark a late bid to preserve the club's Premier League status.
Dutchman Krul saved two spot-kicks in the shootout, the second from Gedson Fernandes to send Norwich into the quarter-finals for the first time in 28 years.
The dramatic win followed Norwich's 1-0 victory over Leicester City last weekend that fuelled belief they can claw their way out of the bottom three.
Soccer Football - FA Cup Fifth Round - Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - March 4, 2020 Norwich City's Marco Stiepermann and Grant Hanley celebrate winning the penalty shootout Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
Norwich remain bottom, six points below the safety zone, but their attractive style and goal threat offers them hope.
"Incredible. Maybe this is the turning-point, we believe we can stay up," said Krul, who sent 9,000 Norwich fans wild with his penalty saves.
Krul used his full range of antics, wasting time and thumping his gloves together as Tottenham's players prepared to take their kicks and it worked a treat.
Soccer Football - FA Cup Fifth Round - Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - March 4, 2020 Norwich City's Tim Krul saves a penalty from Tottenham Hotspur's Troy Parrott during the shootout REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
First he saved from young striker Troy Parrott, then easily kept out Fernandes's weak attempt.
"Everyone says I am good at penalties so I knew I'd better start saving some," he said.
"Me and my coach do our homework, I had them on my bottle, it all happens in a shootout. What a place to do it as well and for 9,000 fans to be here on a Wednesday night."
Soccer Football - FA Cup Fifth Round - Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - March 4, 2020 Norwich City's Tim Krul celebrates winning the penalty shootout Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Ed Osmond)
Soccer Football - FA Cup Fifth Round - Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - March 4, 2020 Norwich City's Adam Idah and teammates celebrate winning the penalty shootout REUTERS/Dylan Martinez TPX IMAGES OF THE DAYSoccer Football - FA Cup Fifth Round - Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - March 4, 2020 Tottenham Hotspur's Troy Parrott and teammates react during the penalty shootout REUTERS/Dylan MartinezSoccer Football - FA Cup Fifth Round - Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - March 4, 2020 Norwich City's Todd Cantwell celebrates after winning the penalty shootout Action Images via Reuters/Peter CziborraSoccer Football - FA Cup Fifth Round - Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - March 4, 2020 Norwich City manager Daniel Farke celebrates winning the penalty shootout Action Images via Reuters/Peter CziborraSoccer Football - FA Cup Fifth Round - Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - March 4, 2020 Norwich City's Adam Idah celebrates winning the penalty shootout REUTERS/Dylan MartinezSoccer Football - FA Cup Fifth Round - Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - March 4, 2020 Norwich City's Tim Krul celebrates winning the penalty shootout Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
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