OTD E0146 — 26 Mar 2005: The World Cup Qualifier with No Crowd

26 Mar 2005: Costa Rica beat Panama 2–1 in a World Cup qualifier played behind closed doors after crowd trouble against Mexico in the previous round. This episode traces the road through CONCACAF’s Hexagonal, the violence after the Mexico defeat, FIFA’s sanction, the eerie ghost-match atmosphere in San José, and a night settled by penalties, a red card, and Roy Myrie’s 91st-minute winner. It is also a story about what happens when football removes the crowd and reveals how much the matchday ecosystem really matters.Ideas: [email protected]