[quote]FIFA says it is studying a protest from the Costa Rica soccer federation, which wants a World Cup qualifier against the United States replayed after losing 1-0 in a snowstorm.

FIFA says its administration "will now analyze the content of the letter and next steps will be determined in due course."

Who here thinks this is the act of a sore loser? I honestly think this wouldn't be happening if the match had ended in a draw or a Costa Rica win.

Edited by Radish

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I actually agree with Costa Rica. Playing conditions were atrocious. they wouldn't have allowed a premier league match to be played on that pitch, and I would say a World Cup qualifier is a tad more important than that.

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Rzzzzz...

Still considering the goal that was scored when the conditions weren't that bad, and Costa Rica were the better team going forward after the conditions worsened(even had a goal that got disallowed for offsides), makes it stupid in my opinion.

I understand you don't normally play in conditions like that. But seriously, would you rather have them postpone it to the next day, and then by a domino effect, throw the next qualifier for both sides(US vs Mexico & Costa Rica vs Jamaica) into a bit of chaos, and then anger the clubs whose players wouldn't return for at least an extra day. I can understand why the ref allowed the game to continue despite the worsening conditions.

I can't. The pitch was unplayable. I don't care how they would have had to rearrange it, they needed to postpone it.

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Rzzzzz...

Gotta go with peaches on this one, game should have been postponed. Props to the people who scheduled a game in Colorado in mid-late march not realizing this was a definite possibility.

The problem with your last sentence was that nobody knew that it was going to be snowing as bad as it was in late March.

That's why it's up to the Ref to assess the pitch condition and make the call to postpone the game. Game should not have been played in that bad of conditions. End of.

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Rzzzzz...

Gate I can see your point, and the Costa Rica players begged for the game to continue when it was stalled. But you have to look beyond who is filing the protest. yes, if the game was a draw Costa Rica would be satisfied... and while their indignation is hypocritical, the pitch was still in bad shape. So in that I disagree with Peaches and ISWT

Now, I dont think the game should have been suspended nor replayed. Once that game got to the 40th minute they needed to do all possible to play it. And while the conditions were poor, that game was not unplayable, as proof by Costa Rica's overturned header goal in the 78th minute (for offside). the conditions were not ideal, but either is the cancerous smog that settled over the Azteca, the rocks and dirt at Oldham or driving rain and 70 mph winds that invade the Scottish league every season.

Game should not have been started, but once it was it needed to be finished.

"Who here thinks this is the act of a sore loser? I honestly think this wouldn't be happening if the match had ended in a draw or a Costa Rica win."

Why would Costa Rica complain if the result was favorable for them though? lol

Even in a replay United States should be able to win.

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Game should have been suspended and post-poned....but it wasn't.


My horribly biased opinion: USMNT won the game, and that should be that.


btw, this game could be super important to the national team on a bonding level. They desperately needed points and fought through the snow, and Captain Clint Dempsey led the way. This was an ushering in of a new day, a new era. This is no longer Landon Donovan's USMNT. This is Clint's team and Clint is going to lead us into Azteca and back with 3 points in hand.

That game, on a chemistry level, was gigantic.

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Man up, stand in line.

Typical scumbag ManUre response.

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Rzzzzz...

It's my understanding that it's the Costa Rican National Team officials that are filing the protest.

And about your list of crap conditions at your stadium, you should probably add the San Siro's field, as I tend to see articles involving players and managers complaining about the poor playing surface.

Until I was 13, and decided it was girly, I played in select leagues which travelled all over North America. Including Canada, to get our arses kicked by bi-lingual dirty kids, in the snow. We played in any weather, period.

What am I missing?

Yep. I am what I am.

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Man up, stand in line.

pretty much spot on

Soccer isn't much of a men's game if they can't play in 2" of snow. This is why it will never be a prominent sport in the us.

Yeah, no kidding... like how baseball and basketball gut out the weather


also, soccer is now #3 in attendance for all sports in the US (ahead of basketball and hockey) and has more American viewership than all sports but football. The problem is that the US professional league isnt the best the world has, so many millions of soccer fans watch teams on cable and internet not located in the US. this creates this incorrect (and ignorant) understanding that soccer isnt "prominent"

Clown post.

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Rzzzzz...

Soccer is still behind our amateur sports, college football and college basketball. Now I have nothing against soccer. My 8 yo daughter had to play last week in 4" of snow, how can her team do it but not a bunch of paid adults?

Because those conditions are unacceptable at the world cup level.

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Rzzzzz...

CP...

I think you underestimate the number of people who follow soccer vehemently in this country and how much they pay to watch the sport. Again, they just arent as visible. Id agree that college football gets more viewership, but doubt college basketball (which is only relevant for one month)... but thats aside the point.

They did play the game, so not sure what you're asking. The issue was Costa Rica is using the snow as an excuse to abandon a game they lost. Why this was even considered was the same reason the NFL has always chosen warm weather climates for Super Bowls... they dont want the weather to adversely impact (or atleast limit the chance that it will) its showcase event. This was part of the FIFA's World Cup qualifying, a two year process leading up to its biggest event. You can argue its qualifying (Playoffs) and you would be correct, but still a very big game. You cant argue that snow greatly impacts the game of soccer (as the ball travels along the ground, now full of snow) but still its an element to play like humidity, heat, elevation, smog, wind and rain that they play through all the time. to me once the game gets started it needs to be finished (unless the players were in jeopardy, ie lightning). FIFA agrees as they dismissed the Costa Rican claim for a replay. They want ideal conditions but cant guarantee it. the result stands.

Costa Rica was looking for a way to overturn a loss. It didnt work

ICYMI - They now show world football scores for prominent league games on American ESPN. Soccer is growing wether you want to admit it or not.

Lol, at soccer being "girly"

I never said it was girly, I decided it was girly. Made sense, man! While all my soccer teammates got scolarships and WC tryouts, I had a lackluster HS football career. Made GREAT sense.

I want the US to protest the conditions they'll be playing in tonight. It's essentially played in an atmosphere similar to Mars...with the added bonus of Mexicans throwing urine and vomit at them.

Yea, I was under the impression that soccer was an all weather, all conditions, sport, just like football.

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It's not.

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Rzzzzz...

Mexico V USA lead story on Sportscenter tonight. Pretty cool.

Don't be so dumb. Don't you know that they hate soccer in America and think it's for girls and gays?

So dumb.

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Rzzzzz...

Great result for the United States tonight as they leave Mexico with points for only the second time in history. They did drop to third in the standings though.

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I am a firm believer in luck, and I found that the harder I work the more I have of it.

And I thought your Duck homer posts were stupid...

Way to encapsulate the views of everyone in a country to "make a point" -even if it is just a girly-gay-game.