NFR - I have sympathy with Costa Rica

[BarryP]

nonsense, it was a bit of snow. far too many of our games over here get called off for no good reason

I tried to watch it on tv. Had to turn it off as you just couldn't see properly.
A joke to allow the game to continue. Ludicrous.

Seriously, you think the match should have been abandoned due to poor visibility on TV? I can see how an argument could have been made for field conditions over the last 30 minutes but visibility was not a problem. There were zero issues on headers and that shows the players could see well enough.

[timmyg]

Two things:

1) FIFA 2012 rules addendum read: If a game is abandoned during play, the game will restart with same score at the minute it was interrupted.

2) The game was a farce

[jmh]

Paraphrasing a poster on another board I read, there are farcical conditions in CONCACAF qualifiers all the time.  Why should this be the only occasion where it's actually deemed worthy of attention?

[ToodlesMcToot]

I don't have any sympathy for anyone in CONCACAF where weather or pitch conditions are concerned. They all have to play in extremely adverse conditions at some point in order to survive qualification. It's a part of it.

Qualifiers played in rainy season months in Central America make for equally adverse/dangerous/unplayable conditions. Games have even been scheduled to take advantage of these kinds of weather events. The U.S. team has suffered through these conditions many times without ever bellyaching about it. It's a distinct advantage for the home team and is accepted as such.

[ToodlesMcToot]

I know that some here take Clint's word with a grain of salt with regard to certain events, but Dempsey (U.S. Captain for the Costa Rica match) has stated that he was not informed of any protest of that game by the Costa Ricans.

It's being reported here that one of the requirements for a successful protest is that the opposing team captain be present when the protest is lodged.

It is FIFA, so anything can happen. But, it sure sounds like they didn't follow procedures and that the result will stand.......as it should.

[Forever Fulham]

What's good for the goose.  Costa Rica scheduled its home game against the U.S. for the hottest part of the afternoon.  And the field had ridiculously high grass--ankle high by all reports.  To my mind, that is more egregious than the Denver game, because the Costa Rican field conditions were planned.  They could have cut that meadow of a field any time up to the start of the game, unlike the Act of God that occurred in Denver.  I've heard the Denver game was scheduled to ready the team for similar high elevation/thinner air  conditions they'll encounter in Mexico City soon.   So, the outdoor Denver venue makes sense.  But I have to agree with those who argue March is a suspicious time to schedule an outdoor game in Denver.  Is it the U.S.'s version of Costa Rica's way high grass?

[CanadianCottager]

What's good for the goose.  Costa Rica scheduled its home game against the U.S. for the hottest part of the afternoon.  And the field had ridiculously high grass--ankle high by all reports.  To my mind, that is more egregious than the Denver game, because the Costa Rican field conditions were planned.  They could have cut that meadow of a field any time up to the start of the game, unlike the Act of God that occurred in Denver.  I've heard the Denver game was scheduled to ready the team for similar high elevation/thinner air  conditions they'll encounter in Mexico City soon.   So, the outdoor Denver venue makes sense.  But I have to agree with those who argue March is a suspicious time to schedule an outdoor game in Denver.  Is it the U.S.'s version of Costa Rica's way high grass?

That was Honduras, the US don't visit Costa Rica until September

[Forever Fulham]

You're right.  But it doesn't invalidate the underlying premise.  Gamesmanship by the home country to better the odds of a win...

[BarryP]

What's good for the goose.  Costa Rica scheduled its home game against the U.S. for the hottest part of the afternoon.  And the field had ridiculously high grass--ankle high by all reports.  To my mind, that is more egregious than the Denver game, because the Costa Rican field conditions were planned.  They could have cut that meadow of a field any time up to the start of the game, unlike the Act of God that occurred in Denver.  I've heard the Denver game was scheduled to ready the team for similar high elevation/thinner air  conditions they'll encounter in Mexico City soon.   So, the outdoor Denver venue makes sense.  But I have to agree with those who argue March is a suspicious time to schedule an outdoor game in Denver.  Is it the U.S.'s version of Costa Rica's way high grass?

That was Honduras, the US don't visit Costa Rica until September

That is correct and I am sure Costa Rica will skip scheduling the match on their favorite plastic pitch.

[costarican white]

The only reason the game was not stopped is beacause US found a goal, a lucky one by the way.

I´m sure that in normal conditions US would have never won the match.

The lines could not be seen, external people and cars entered to the pitch during the game to clean... ridiculous.

CR representatives complained before, during and after the match, but the players had to show up, otherwise we coul be exposed to fines.

It´s simple, it had to be cancelled and postponed just like North Ireland/Russia match.

[costarican white]

What's good for the goose.  Costa Rica scheduled its home game against the U.S. for the hottest part of the afternoon.  And the field had ridiculously high grass--ankle high by all reports.  To my mind, that is more egregious than the Denver game, because the Costa Rican field conditions were planned.  They could have cut that meadow of a field any time up to the start of the game, unlike the Act of God that occurred in Denver.  I've heard the Denver game was scheduled to ready the team for similar high elevation/thinner air  conditions they'll encounter in Mexico City soon.   So, the outdoor Denver venue makes sense.  But I have to agree with those who argue March is a suspicious time to schedule an outdoor game in Denver.  Is it the U.S.'s version of Costa Rica's way high grass?

That was Honduras, the US don't visit Costa Rica until September

That is correct and I am sure Costa Rica will skip scheduling the match on their favorite plastic pitch.

We have been playing for a while now in natural grass in the National stadium, we were not sure to take the US to the Saprissa stadium, you know, with the people breathing at your neck and the cealing falling on your head as the dressing room are directly below the hardcore fans zone... we are now sure on what to do...

[costarican white]

I'm assuming that one of the Twellman comments you didn't like what when he pointed out that several Ticos play in Scandinavian leagues and, so, weren't exactly strangers to that kind of weather.

Same conditions for all players on both teams.

Good point, Christian Bolaños, who plays for the Copenhagen said that when it happens, the game is usually suspended

[costarican white]

Just a few images of the joke  fp.gif

[St Eve]

Based upon these images it was clearly absurd to play the game

[ToodlesMcToot]

I think this snapshot more clearly illustrates the reasoning for protest:

[CanadianCottager]

I think this snapshot more clearly illustrates the reasoning for protest:

Or rather, more accurately illustrates why the USA are fine with a game that was played under conditions so absurd there were ground staff on the field of play throughout the entire second half in order to keep the lines almost visible. Sore winning is just as tasteless as sore losing

[ToodlesMcToot]

I think this snapshot more clearly illustrates the reasoning for protest:

Or rather, more accurately illustrates why the USA are fine with a game that was played under conditions so absurd there were ground staff on the field of play throughout the entire second half in order to keep the lines almost visible. Sore winning is just as tasteless as sore losing

So, do you believe the Costa Ricans would be protesting if the score was reversed? I don't for a minute.

Sore winning?! Seriously?! That's funny.  :54:

[CanadianCottager]

I think this snapshot more clearly illustrates the reasoning for protest:

Or rather, more accurately illustrates why the USA are fine with a game that was played under conditions so absurd there were ground staff on the field of play throughout the entire second half in order to keep the lines almost visible. Sore winning is just as tasteless as sore losing

So, do you believe the Costa Ricans would be protesting if the score was reversed? I don't for a minute.

Sore winning?! Seriously?! That's funny.  :54:

About as sure as I am that Sunil Gulati and Jurgen Klinsmann would be sending bushels of roses to the doorstep of everyone who let that game go ahead if the score was reversed.

[ToodlesMcToot]

I think this snapshot more clearly illustrates the reasoning for protest:

Or rather, more accurately illustrates why the USA are fine with a game that was played under conditions so absurd there were ground staff on the field of play throughout the entire second half in order to keep the lines almost visible. Sore winning is just as tasteless as sore losing

So, do you believe the Costa Ricans would be protesting if the score was reversed? I don't for a minute.

Sore winning?! Seriously?! That's funny.  :54:

About as sure as I am that Sunil Gulati and Jurgen Klinsmann would be sending bushels of roses to the doorstep of everyone who let that game go ahead if the score was reversed.

It's a 'yes' or 'no' question CC. And since your answer wasn't 'yes', I must assume it was 'no'. And for the first time today, I agree with you. The protest is insincere and opportunistic.

[CanadianCottager]

I think this snapshot more clearly illustrates the reasoning for protest:

Or rather, more accurately illustrates why the USA are fine with a game that was played under conditions so absurd there were ground staff on the field of play throughout the entire second half in order to keep the lines almost visible. Sore winning is just as tasteless as sore losing

So, do you believe the Costa Ricans would be protesting if the score was reversed? I don't for a minute.

Sore winning?! Seriously?! That's funny.  :54:

About as sure as I am that Sunil Gulati and Jurgen Klinsmann would be sending bushels of roses to the doorstep of everyone who let that game go ahead if the score was reversed.

It's a 'yes' or 'no' question CC. And since your answer wasn't 'yes', I must assume it was 'no'. And for the first time today, I agree with you. The protest is insincere and opportunistic.

Just as Jurgen Klinsmann and Gulati's insistence the field is playable. We're talking about football here, obviously the intentions are cynical, but given the circumstances Costa Rica is right to complain.