Costa Rica To Protest US Loss

((HT: ESPN/FIFA/US Soccer))

Costa Rica plans to file an official protest with FIFA about Friday's 1-0 loss to the US, according to Reuters...

Here's the highlights... the snowy highlights...and the reason for the idea of the protest...


A Costa Rica soccer federation official said that the protest would be made Saturday. Costa Rica has 24 hours to file a written protest with FIFA according to rules of engagement...

Ten minutes into the second half (or the 3:25 mark on the tape), Costa Rica coach Jorge Luis Pinto wanted the referee and match commissioner to suspend the game, but U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann made a case for playing on. Play continued and Pinto was angry during and after the game.

"I asked them to stop. They should suspend the ref," Pinto said. "It was an embarrassment. It was an insult to Costa Rica and people coming in here." Pinto said the "legal conditions" for playing were not met, according to Reuters.

"Honestly, it was robbery, a disgrace, I've never played a game in these conditions," Costa Rican midfielder Cristian Bolanos told Reuters. "You couldn't see the ball ... if we had played without snow, we would have won, I am sure."

The points are huge for US Soccer and the three points are integral in the quest to get to Rio and 2014's World Cup...
Analysis below...
((HT: ESPN))