1998 Gold Cup

1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup
CONCACAF Championship
Tournament details
Host countryUnited States
DatesFebruary 1–15
Teams10 (from 2 confederations)
Venue(s)3 (in 3 host cities)
Final positions
Champions Mexico (3rd title)
Runners-up United States
Third place Brazil
Fourth place Jamaica
Tournament statistics
Matches played16
Goals scored44 (2.75 per match)
Top scorer(s)Mexico Luis Hernández
Costa Rica Paulo Wanchope
(4 goals each)
Best player(s)United States Kasey Keller
← 1996
2000 →

The 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the fourth edition of the Gold Cup, the soccer championship for the member associations of CONCACAF, which governs the sport in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

The tournament was once again held in the United States, with matches played in Los Angeles, Miami, and Oakland, California. The format of the tournament changed from 1996: it was expanded to ten teams, with four in Group A and three each in Groups B and C. The top team in each group, plus the second place in Group A would advance to the semifinals. Brazil was invited again, and brought their senior team this time. Prior to the tournament, Canada withdrew due to a lack of available players and were replaced by Jamaica.[1]

Jamaica topped Group A over Brazil, who they tied 0–0, in a surprise result for the team. In the semi-finals, the United States beat Brazil, as Preki scored the lone goal and Kasey Keller preserved the clean sheet. The United States could not repeat that performance in front of a pro-Mexican final crowd in Los Angeles. Mexico won their third straight Gold Cup, 1–0, on a Luis Hernández goal.

Venues

Los Angeles Oakland Miami
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Orange Bowl
Capacity: 93,607 Capacity: 63,026 Capacity: 74,476

Teams

Qualification

Team Qualification Appearances Last appearance Previous best performance FIFA Ranking[2]
North American zone
 Mexico (TH) Automatic 4th 1996 Champions (1993,1996) 5
 United States Automatic 4th 1996 Champions (1991) 28
Caribbean zone qualified through the 1997 Caribbean Cup
 Trinidad and Tobago Winners 3rd 1996 Group stage (1991, 1996) 56
 Jamaica[pn 1] Third Place 3rd 1993 Third Place (1993) 39
 Cuba Playoff 1st None Debut 88
Central American zone qualified through the 1997 UNCAF Nations Cup
 Costa Rica Winners 3rd 1993 Third Place (1993) 51
 Guatemala Runners-up 3rd 1996 Fourth Place (1996) 83
 El Salvador Third Place 2nd 1996 Group stage (1996) 64
 Honduras Fourth Place 4th 1996 Runners-up (1991) 73
Other
 Brazil Invitation 2nd 1996 Runners-up (1996) 1

Notes:

  1. ^ Canada withdrew and was replaced by Jamaica on November 26, 1997.

Qualification play-off

A playoff between Cuba, the runner-up from the 1996 Caribbean Cup and Saint Kitts and Nevis, the runner-up from the 1997 Caribbean Cup, was held to determine which nation would qualify for the 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Cuba 2–0 Saint Kitts and Nevis
Report

Squads

Main article: 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup squads

The 10 national teams involved in the tournament were required to register a squad of 20 players; only players in these squads were eligible to take part in the tournament.

Group stage

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Jamaica 3 2 1 0 5 2 +3 7 Advance to Knockout stage
2  Brazil 3 1 2 0 5 1 +4 5
3  Guatemala 3 0 2 1 3 4 −1 2
4  El Salvador 3 0 1 2 0 6 −6 1
Source: [citation needed]
El Salvador 0–0 Guatemala
Report
Attendance: 26,391
Brazil 0–0 Jamaica
Report
Attendance: 43,754
Brazil 1–1 Guatemala
Romário 79' Report Plata 90'
Attendance: 17,842
El Salvador 0–4 Brazil
Report Edmundo 7'
Romário 19'
Élber 87', 90'
Attendance: 55,017
Guatemala 2–3 Jamaica
Plata 16'
Westphal 84'		 Report Hall 14', 67'
Williams 55'
Attendance: 55,017
Jamaica 2–0 El Salvador
Gayle 41'
Simpson 62'		 Report
Attendance: 26,391
Referee: Mohammed Nazri (Malaysia)

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Mexico 2 2 0 0 6 2 +4 6 Advance to Knockout stage
2  Trinidad and Tobago 2 1 0 1 5 5 0 3
3  Honduras 2 0 0 2 1 5 −4 0
Source: [citation needed]
Honduras 1–3 Trinidad and Tobago
Pavón 66' Report Nixon 35'
John 39', 70'
Attendance: 11,234
Mexico 4–2 Trinidad and Tobago
Ramírez 37'
Hernández 63', 82'
Palencia 65'		 Report Marcelle 59'
Nixon 75'
Attendance: 17,256
Referee: Mendoça (Brazil)
Mexico 2–0 Honduras
Blanco 22', 86' Report
Attendance: 36,240

Group C

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  United States 2 2 0 0 5 1 +4 6 Advance to Knockout stage
2  Costa Rica 2 1 0 1 8 4 +4 3
3  Cuba 2 0 0 2 2 10 −8 0
Source: [citation needed]
United States 3–0 Cuba
Wegerle 55'
Wynalda 58'
Moore 76' (pen.)		 Report
Attendance: 11,234
Costa Rica 7–2 Cuba
Berry 3'
Wanchope 21', 32', 64', 78'
López 29' (pen.)
Myers 44'		 Report Martén 50'
Sebrango 90'
Attendance: 17,256
United States 2–1 Costa Rica
Pope 7'
Preki 78'		 Report Oviedo 56'
Attendance: 36,240
Referee: Mohammed Nazri (Malaysia)

Knockout stage

Bracket

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
February 10 – Los Angeles
 
 
 United States1
 
February 15 – Los Angeles
 
 Brazil0
 
 United States0
 
February 12 – Los Angeles
 
 Mexico1
 
 Jamaica0
 
 
 Mexico (a.s.d.e.t.)1
 
Third place play-off
 
 
February 15 – Los Angeles
 
 
 Brazil1
 
 
 Jamaica0

Semi-finals

United States 1–0 Brazil
 Report
Attendance: 12,298
Jamaica 0–1 Mexico
Report
Attendance: 45,507

Third place play-off

Brazil 1–0 Jamaica
 Report
Attendance: 91,255

Final

Main article: 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup final
United States 0–1 Mexico
Report
Attendance: 91,255

Statistics

Goalscorers

There were 44 goals scored in 16 matches, for an average of 2.75 goals per match.

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

Awards

The following Gold Cup awards were given at the conclusion of the tournament: the Golden Boot (top scorer) and Golden Ball (best overall player).[3][4]

Golden Ball
United States Kasey Keller
Golden Boot
Mexico Luis Hernández
4 goals
Best XI
Goalkeepers Defenders Midfielders Forwards
United States Kasey Keller United States Eddie Pope
Mexico Claudio Suárez
Brazil Ze María 		Mexico Ramón Ramírez
United States Preki
Jamaica Paul Hall
Mexico Cuauhtémoc Blanco 		Brazil Edmundo
Brazil Romário
Costa Rica Paulo Wanchope

References

  1. ^ Davidson, Neil (November 26, 1997). "Canada looking to play host to group of World Cup finalists". Vancouver Sun. The Canadian Press. p. E7. Retrieved July 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. December 23, 1997. Archived from the original on October 21, 2019. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  3. ^ "Golden Boot Award" (Press release). CONCACAF. July 26, 2009. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  4. ^ "Most Valuable Player Award" (Press release). CONCACAF. July 26, 2009. Archived from the original on August 8, 2011. Retrieved July 27, 2009.

External links