SAN JOSE, Costa Rica:

COSTA Ricans voiced their disapproval of FIFA's recent ruling to throw out a protest to have its match against the United States replayed, by pouring scorn on the sport's world governing body's anthem.

The Central Americans, in an overwhelming show of solidarity, turned their backs, booed and constantly chanted 'hijo de puta' ('son of a bitch') throughout the playing of the anthem, drowning out the tune to the musical prior to the start of its CONCACAF final round World Cup Qualifying (WCQ) football match against Jamaica, at the Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica (Costa Rica National Stadium) on Tuesday night, when they won 2-0.

Costa Rica lost 1-0 against the United States last Friday in Colorado. The match was played in blizzard conditions, with heavy snowfall throughout. At one stage, at the 55th minute, the match was stopped when the match commissioner and the referee conferred.

Both sets of players from the teams surrounded the referee at that point.

The match was restarted after ground crew had cleared the lines to make them visible. Even the players, especially the US team which played in white, were not clearly visible during the match.

Clint Dempsey scored early to hand the United States a 1-0 win.

Costa Rica protested verbally after the match, but according to FIFA, the Central Americans had not submitted an official protest during the stipulated timeframe.

The Costa Ricans showed their disapproval of the ruling by not only disrespecting the FIFA anthem, but also with banners at the stadium, which were displayed on the giant screen.

One depicted FIFA's president, Joseph 'Sepp' Blatter, as a snowman with the pointy nose of a penguin and a circle with a slash going through the middle on the face and the words "NO TO THE SNOWMAN", another read "FIFA FAKE PLAY", a clear pun on FIFA's global appeal for Fair Play; while another bluntly read "NO TO FAIR PLAY", with the circle and slash through the middle engulfing the words. Though a Spanish-speaking country, all the words were printed in BOLD English.

"We demand justice and fair play," said Julio Perez, one of the Costa Ricans strongly voicing their disapproval of FIFA's decision, in the full 35,000-capacity Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica on Tuesday night.

- A.B.