8 September 1969 - Wales Adds Some Speed

On 8 September 1969, former Welsh national team captain and manager Gary Speed was born in Mancot, Wales. With 85 appearances for the national team, he remains the most-capped outfield player for Wales and the second most-capped player overall.

In 1990, while playing for Leeds United, Speed earned his first cap in friendly against Costa Rica, which Wales won 1-0. He retired from international play after a 3-2 loss to Poland in an October 2004 World Cup qualifier. It was his 85th cap, just seven shy of goalkeeper Neville Southall's all-time record, but ten more than the next highest outfield player, striker Dean Saunders.

He continued his club career for another six years, with spells at Everton (1996-98), Newcastle (1998-2004), Bolton (2004-08), and Sheffield United (2008-10). He moved directly into coaching with Sheffield United, taking over as manager in August 2010.

Although he had signed a three-year contract with Sheffield United, Wales lured him away in December 2010. He remained in charge of the national team until his death by hanging in November 2011. Although the event was self-inflicted, it has not been officially ruled a suicide, as the coroner could not determine whether Speed had intended to kill himself.

26 July 2003 - Convey's First Was Good Enough For Third

On 26 July 2003, winger Bobby Convey scored his first and only international goal to lift the United States over Costa Rica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup's third-place match.

Although he was only 20 years old at the time, Convey had already developed a resume full of potential. He joined DC United in 2000, making him the youngest signing in MLS, then earned his first full international cap that same year. By the time he played against Costa Rica in the Gold Cup, he was captain of the U20s and had played in all but one of the senior side's matches that year.

The US had advanced to the semifinals in the tournament, but lost to Brazil 2-1 in extra time. That put them into the third-place match against Costa Rica, who had been eliminated by Mexico. Playing at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Costa Rica took a 2-1 first-half lead with a brace from striker Rolando Fonseca (24', 39') sandwiched around a goal from US defender Carlos Bocanegra (29').

But the Yanks rallied in the second half, drawing level with a 56th-minute strike from midfielder Earnie Stewart, then taking the lead 11 minutes later. The match-winner started with Landon Donovan, who split the defense with a perfect ball. Convey latched on to it and fired it home with a left-footed blast from the edge of the penalty area.

Convey went on to earn a total of 46 caps between 2000 and 2008, but never scored another international goal.

26 March 2005 - But It Was The Beer Vendors Who Really Suffered

On 26 March 2005, Costa Rica and Panama set the record for the lowest attendance at a World Cup qualifier with a head count of zero. The match was played at Costa Rica's Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Ayma in San Jose (above), where Costa Rica had recently lost to Mexico on 9 February 2005. According to reports filed after the loss to Mexico, the home fans threw various objects at the officials and the Mexican players, including bottles, coins, batteries, and fruit. As a punishment, FIFA ruled that Costa Rica's match against Panama had to be played behind closed doors. Despite the empty stadium, however, Costa Rica beat Panama 2-1 in a match the Costa Rican press called "miraculous," as Roy Myrie scored the go-ahead goal in the 90th minute.

Costa Rica advanced to the 2006 World Cup and immediately set another record by opening the tournament with a 4-2 loss to host nation Germany - the highest scoring opening match in World Cup history. Costa Rica lost its next two matches to the other members of its group, Ecuador (by the score of 0-3) and Poland (1-2), thus failing to advance beyond the group stage.

Saprissa Stadium received a similar attendance ban from CONCACAF in 2006, following a CONCACAF Champions Cup match on 29 March. Hometown club Saprissa beat Mexican club Toluca 3-2, but Toluca advanced on aggregate after winning the first leg 2-0. Angry Saprissa supporters threw trash and other objects onto the pitch and threatened the match officials, causing CONCACAF to issue the ban.

16 October 1996 - Tragedy In Guatemala

On 16 October 1996, eighty-four people died and another 147 were injured in a stampede at the Estadio Mateo Flores in Guatemala City.

They were there for a World Cup qualifier between Guatemala and Costa Rica. An hour before kick-off, the stadium was already filled past its 45,000 capacity, with supporters sitting on walls and on top of the press box, when the stampede began, sending a cascade of people down the stands toward the pitch. Most of the injuries and fatalities were due to asphyxiation, with others suffering broken bones.

Accounts differed as to the cause of the stampede. According to FIFA, forged tickets created an oversupply of people trying to force their way into the stadium, while a spokesperson for the Guatemalan government claimed that fans inside the stadium were trying to escape a brawl that had broken out in one of the general seating areas.

Guatemalan officials immediately canceled the game. FIFA banned the use of the stadium pending a  safety inspection, so when the game was eventually played in late November, it was held at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles.

The stadium ban lasted approximately two years. When it reopened, it did so with a reduced capacity of 30,000.

31 July 1976 - The Wonderful Paulo Wanchope

On 31 July 1976, Costa Rican striker Paulo Wanchope, scorer of the greatest goal in Derby County history, was born in Heredia.

He started his career with his hometown club Herediano in 1993, then joined Derby in 1997 for a transfer fee of £600,000 after impressing in Costa Rica's qualification campaign for the 1998 World Cup. On his debut for the Rams, he scored a wonder goal against Manchester United that Derby supporters later voted the greatest goal in club history.

In the summer of 1999, Derby sold him to West Ham for £3.5 million, but he spent only one season there before moving to Manchester City for £3.65 million. Although he was a fan favorite there, injuries limited his playing time and he scored a total of 27 league goals in four seasons. He then played for six different clubs around the world before retiring from club football in 2007.

He continued to play for Costa Rica until 2008, however, and finished as the team's all-time leading scorer with 45 goals in 73 appearances. Although Rolando Fonseca later passed that mark in 2011 with 47 goals, Wanchope remains second on the team's all-time scoring table.

8 September 1969 - Wales Adds Some Speed

On 8 September 1969, former Welsh national team captain and current manager Gary Speed was born in Mancot, Wales. With 85 appearances for the national team, he remains the most-capped outfield player for Wales and the second most-capped player overall.

In 1990, while playing for Leeds United, Speed earned his first cap in friendly against Costa Rica, which Wales won 1-0. He retired from international play after a 3-2 loss to Poland in an October 2004 World Cup qualifier. It was his 85th cap, just seven shy of goalkeeper Neville Southall's all-time record, but ten more than the next highest outfield player, striker Dean Saunders.

He continued his club career for another six years, with spells at Everton (1996-98), Newcastle (1998-2004), Bolton (2004-08), and Sheffield United (2008-10). He moved directly into coaching with Sheffield United, taking over as manager in August 2010.

Although he had signed a three-year contract with Sheffield United, Wales lured him away in December 2010. Since then, he has guided the Dragons to a record of 2 wins and 5 losses, including a close 1-0 defeat to England at Wembley earlier this week.

[Update: Speed died in November 2011, reportedly by suicide, though the coroner could not determine whether he had intended to kill himself.]

26 July 2003 - Convey's First Was Good Enough For Third

On 26 July 2003, winger Bobby Convey scored his first and only international goal to lift the United States over Costa Rica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup's third-place match.

Although he was only 20 years old at the time, Convey had already developed a resume full of potential. He joined DC United in 2000, making him the youngest signing in MLS, then earned his first full international cap that same year. By the time he played against Costa Rica in the Gold Cup, he was captain of the U20s and had played in all but one of the senior side's matches that year.

The US had advanced to the semifinals in the tournament, but lost to Brazil 2-1 in extra time. That put them into the third-place match against Costa Rica, who had been eliminated by Mexico. Playing at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Costa Rica took a 2-1 first-half lead with a brace from striker Rolando Fonseca (24', 39') sandwiched around a goal from US defender Carlos Bocanegra (29').

But the Yanks rallied in the second half, drawing level with a 56th-minute strike from midfielder Earnie Stewart, then taking the lead 11 minutes later. The match-winner started with Landon Donovan, who split the defense with a perfect ball. Convey latched on to it and fired it home with a left-footed blast from the edge of the penalty area.

Convey went on to earn a total of 46 caps between 2000 and 2008, but never scored another international goal.

26 March 2005 - But It Was The Beer Vendors Who Really Suffered

On 26 March 2005, Costa Rica and Panama set the record for the lowest attendance at a World Cup qualifier with a head count of zero. The match was played at Costa Rica's Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Ayma in San Jose (above), where Costa Rica had recently lost to Mexico on 9 February 2005. According to reports filed after the loss to Mexico, the home fans threw various objects at the officials and the Mexican players, including bottles, coins, batteries, and fruit. As a punishment, FIFA ruled that Costa Rica's match against Panama had to be played behind closed doors. Despite the empty stadium, however, Costa Rica beat Panama 2-1 in a match the Costa Rican press called "miraculous," as Roy Myrie scored the go-ahead goal in the 90th minute.

Costa Rica advanced to the 2006 World Cup and immediately set another record by opening the tournament with a 4-2 loss to host nation Germany - the highest scoring opening match in World Cup history. Costa Rica lost its next two matches to the other members of its group, Ecuador (by the score of 0-3) and Poland (1-2), thus failing to advance beyond the group stage.

Saprissa Stadium received a similar attendance ban from CONCACAF in 2006, following a CONCACAF Champions Cup match on 29 March. Hometown club Saprissa beat Mexican club Toluca 3-2, but Toluca advanced on aggregate after winning the first leg 2-0. Angry Saprissa supporters threw trash and other objects onto the pitch and threatened the match officials, causing CONCACAF to issue the ban.