Costa Rica have appealed to Fifa to void their World Cup qualifying round defeat to the United States this week because the match took place amid a snowstorm.

The Costa Rican FA has written to Sepp Blatter in a bid to get the 1-0 defeat overturned, believing it was unfair of the referee to force play to continue during a blizzard.

Clint Dempsey scored the only goal of the match in Colorado in treacherous conditions.

The blizzard grew so intense at one point that the referee was forced to halt the game in the second half as rapidly falling snow covered the markings on the pitch and made it extremely difficult for the ball to be seen.

But despite protests from the players, the match was restarted - despite the weather not improving - and Dempsey went on to score the winner.

Costa Rica are furious about the outcome and have written to Fifa to request the game be declared null and void, while manager Jorge Luis Pinto told local media that the referee was an ‘embarrassment to football’ for allowing the fixture to continue.

It is not yet clear if Fifa plan to do anything about the decision, but given that both teams have packed schedules in the next few months a replay looks to be unlikely.