Honduras Goalkeeper Buba Lopez Subbed From WC Qualifier vs. USA Due to Hypothermia

Honduras goalkeeper Buba Lopez had to be removed from Wednesday's 3-0 loss against the United States at halftime due to hypothermia. 

The temperature at kickoff for the World Cup qualifier was just three degrees Fahrenheit at Allianz Field in Saint Paul, Minnesota. 

Soccer writer Grant Wahl reported that Honduras forward Romell Quioto also left the game due to hypothermia. 

Even before the game was played, the United State Soccer Federation's decision to play the contest in Saint Paul in the dead of winter, when frigid conditions are the norm, drew criticism:

Pressing your geographical advantages in World Cup qualifying is nothing new in the CONCACAF region. Games are played in the sweltering heat in certain locations, or at high altitudes in others. USMNT players are accustomed to hostile crowds on the road. 

But there is a difference between gaining an advantage based on where you play and actively putting players at risk. Given that two Honduras players had to be treated for hypothermia, Wednesday's game clearly veered into the latter. 

Even players like the USMNT's Timothy Weah and Matt Turner didn't seem thrilled with the decision to play the game in Saint Paul, despite the three points:

And Honduras manager Hernan Dario Gomez didn't mince words, either before the game or after.

"It’s not normal," he told reporters before the game. "It's inconceivable that a power in every sense would bring you here to play a game and get a result. ... The game hasn't started, but I can't wait for it to end. Because it's not for enjoying, it's for suffering."

"Football is not possible in those conditions," he added after the contest.