( CNN ) -- It 's snow joke -- but the weather has become the focus of the United States ' attempts to qualify for the 2014 World Cup . Costa Rica has asked football 's global governing body FIFA to replay their 2014 World Cup qualifying match against the U.S. after it was staged in a snowstorm . Friday 's contest at Colorado 's Dick 's Sporting Goods Park finished 1-0 to Jurgen Klinsmann 's U.S. team , with Clint Dempsey 's first-half goal proving the difference between the two teams . But the contest was overshadowed by heavy snowfall , which the Costa Rican Football Federation claims affected the players ' `` physical integrity '' . `` We can confirm that FIFA has received a letter from the Costa Rica FA regarding last Friday 's FIFA World Cup qualifier , '' read a statement sent to CNN by football 's world governing body . `` FIFA will now analyze the content of the letter and next steps will be determined in due course . '' The Costa Rican Federation is unhappy the lines and markings on the pitch were invisible at times during the game in Commerce City , while also claiming the movement of the ball was impeded by the snow . The match was briefly paused at the beginning of the second half , but officials eventually decided play should resume . Costa Rica has also called for the match officials to be punished for allowing the match to get underway . `` It was terrible , '' the Costa Rican Federation 's president Eduardo Li told the Zona Tecnica football show . `` While the match was being played , at the same time , machines and people came onto the field to clean the lines . `` We fought -- we talked to the [ match ] commissioner , who totally rejected our complaint . These are embarrassing situations we should not accept . '' Havoc . The win was the U.S. 's first of this qualifying campaign following a 2-1 defeat to Honduras last month . The victory put the U.S. second on three points behind Honduras in a group from which the top three countries will go to Brazil , while the fourth-placed team will play off against the Oceania group winners New Zealand . Costa Rica are bottom of the North , Central America and Caribbean group with just one point . Snow also wreaked havoc across Europe , with Northern Ireland 's home match with Russia , initially scheduled for Friday , twice postponed due to bad weather . FIFA is yet to announce when the European qualification Group F fixture will take place . The U.S. Soccer Federation was not immediately available for comment .
Costa Rica appeal to FIFA after 1 - 0 loss to United States on Friday . Costa Rica claim the match should not have taken place due to heavy snowfall . Clint Dempsey 's first - half goal gave the U.S. their first win of the qualifying campaign . FIFA confirm they have received complaints from the Costa Rica Federation .