Dustin Bradford/Getty Images[/caption]Nobody can control the weather. We keep hearing about global warming, but it’s going to be hard to convince anybody that exists after the brutal winter that has ravaged North America.
When FIFA scheduled a World Cup qualifying soccer game between the U.S. and Costa Rica last Friday, they probably didn’t expect it would have to take place during one of the season’s worst blizzards.
Soccer’s world-governing body was wrong, though because that’s exactly what happened and the Americans took advantage of the foul weather to reel off a 1-0 win.
FIFA confirmed that Fedefutbol, which is the Costa Rican soccer federation, has filed a formal protest over the game, saying it should never have taken place in such brutal weather conditions.
Perhaps that’s true, but both teams had to play on the same pitch and endure the elements. FIFA released a press statement that confirmed Costa Rica is protesting the match and said they will look into the matter before deciding if any steps should be taken to appease them.
Jorge Luis Pinto, the manager of Costa Rica, said the game was an embarrassment to the sport of soccer as the snow just kept getting deeper and deeper as the contest wore on.
Fedefutbol released their own statement which said their protest consists of several parts. It said the players’ physical well being was in danger due to the conditions and officials at the stadium had to come onto the field while the game was in play to clear away the snow.
Costa Rica claimed that the white field markings couldn’t be seen underneath the snow and the ball wouldn’t roll in it either. In addition, Costa Rica claims that everybody who was involved in allowing the game to continue should be punished for their actions via sanctions.
Pinto pointed to a similar scenario on the same day in Europe and said the game in Denver should have followed its lead. Northern Ireland was scheduled t meet Russia last Friday in Belfast, but the game was postponed until the next day because of heavy snow.
However, the game was then postponed for a second time less than 24 hours later because the conditions hadn’t improved. Costa Rica said it doesn’t know what will happen with their protest, but they have to stand up for their rights, which they feel were violated.
If the protest is turned down, it’s been reported that Costa Rica will try to gains some sort of revenge when they host the U.S. in the return game. Most of the nation’s home games are played at the new National Stadium.
This is a relief to visiting teams because there’s a running track around the soccer pitch and the hostile home fans are further away from the action. However, Costa Rica could decide to hold the contest at Saprissa Stadium because the fans are right on top of the players because there isn’t a running track in place.
If Costa Rica had won, there obviously wouldn’t be a protest, but the loss left the team in the cellar of the six-team group with just a single point earned in their first two games.
