Snow Clasico
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The United States versus Costa Rica football (soccer) match was held on 22 March 2013 at the Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado. It was part of the second matchday of the final qualification round in CONCACAF for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Event | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification match | ||||||
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Date | 22 March 2013 | ||||||
Venue | Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, Colorado, United States | ||||||
Referee | Joel Aguilar (El Salvador) | ||||||
Attendance | 19,734 | ||||||
Weather | Snowstorm 28 °F (−2 °C)[1] |
Both teams reached the match after not winning as visitors on the first matchday; the United States lost in San Pedro Sula against Honduras and Costa Rica reached a draw in Panama City against Panama.
Under heavy snowfall, the United States won the match with a lone goal by Clint Dempsey. The unusual conditions of the match sparked outrage in Costa Rica, whose football federation's formal complaint was rejected by FIFA.[2] Subsequent reactions from Costa Rican fans saw them turning their backs on FIFA's Fair Play anthem and flag during Costa Rica's following home match,[3] as well as receiving the American players with hostility for their game in San José months later.[4]
American media refers to the match as Snow Clasico,[5] a name subsequently evoked by MLS matches played under similar conditions.[1] In contrast, the match is considered by Costa Rican media as a watershed moment, as the following months saw their national team qualify to the 2014 World Cup with five consecutive victories at home—including a 3–1 victory against the United States seen as a revenge—and achieve their best performance at a FIFA World Cup by reaching the quarter-finals.[6]