CONCACAF Gold Cup

Although it only dates back to 1991, the CONCACAF Gold Cup has quickly established itself as a top-flight international tournament. Originally staged as a bi-annual event held in July of odd-numbered years, since 1996 the tournament has been staged in the winter of even-numbered years. Click to view the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

1991 Gold Cup
The United States surprised the region in 1991 when they swept their way to the inaugural Gold Cup championship. In the finals, the U.S. downed Honduras 4-3 on penalty kicks after the two teams went scoreless after 120 minutes of action in front of 39,873 fans at the Los Angeles Coliseum. It was in the semifinals, though, where the U.S. stunned all observers with a convincing 2-0 victory over Mexico behind goals from John Doyle and Peter Vermes.

All-Time Gold Cup Record Wins Loss Ties 30 4 4

In group play, Marcelo Balboa's stunning bicycle-kick goal capped off a last-minute comeback for the U.S. in their 2-1 victory over Trinidad & Tobago in the opening Gold Cup match. That victory was followed by wins over Guatemala (3-0) and Costa Rica (3-2), which set-up the U.S. heroics against Mexico.

Mexico was forced into the match-up with the United States when they lost their group to Honduras on goal differential. Honduras would later advance to the finals with a 2-0 semifinal victory over Costa Rica, which set-up a 2-0 victory for Mexico over the 'Ticos in the third place match.

Date	Opponent	Result	Goal Scorers	Location
June 29	Trinidad & Tobago	W, 2-1	Balboa, Murray	Pasadena, CA
July 1	Guatemala	W, 3-0	Murray, Quinn, Wynalda	Pasadena, CA
July 3	Costa Rica	W, 3-2	Perez, Vermes, own goal	Los Angeles, CA
July 5	Mexico	W, 2-0	Doyle, Vermes	Los Angeles, CA
July 7	Honduras	W, 0-0 (4:3 pks)	-	Los Angeles, CA

1993 Gold Cup
The second Gold Cup tournament was not quite as successful for the United States, but the team still advanced to the finals where they fell to Mexico, 4-0, at Azteca Stadium. Following three single-goal victories in the first round over Jamaica (1-0), Panama (2-1) and Honduras (1-0), the U.S. squared off against Costa Rica in the semifinals in Dallas. In that match, the U.S. extended their unbeaten Gold Cup run to nine-games with a 103rd minute golden goal from defender Cle Kooiman.

Meanwhile in Mexico City, where the Mexican team would play all their matches, the Tricolores were racing into the finals. Led by Luis Robert Alves (Zague), the ruthlessly efficient Mexican attack produced 28 goals in five matches, overwhelming group foe Martinique (9-0) and Canada (8-0), while drawing Costa Rica (1-1). Zague's seven goals against Martinique is, obviously a Gold Cup record.

In front of a capacity crow of 120,000, Zague scored again in the final as Mexico downed the United States 4-0. Zague finished the tournament with 12 goals in five matches, another Godl Cup record. Third place honors were split after a draw between Costa Rica and Jamaica.

Date	Opponent	Result	Goal Scorers	Location
July 10	Jamaica	W, 1-0	Wynalda	Dallas, TX
July 14	Panama	W, 2-1	Dooley, Wynalda	Dallas, TX
July 17	Honduras	W, 1-0	Lalas	Dallas, TX
July 21	Costa Rica	W, 1-0 (ot)	Kooiman	Dallas, TX
July 25	Mexico	L, 0-4	-	Mexico City, Mexico

1996 Gold Cup
With Brazil competing in the tournament for the first time via a special invitation, most eyes centered on the defending World Champions. But an impressive 2-0 victory by Mexico on a muddy, wet pitch in front of 88,155 rain-soaked fans, handed Mexico their second straight Gold Cup victory. With goals from Luis Garcia and Cuauhtemoc Blanco, the Mexicans were able to stymie the Brazilian attack with help from muddy conditions. Nevertheless, the Brazilians impressed throughout the tournament with a young squad using experience to prepare for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games.

For the United States, the tournament was not as disappointing as their third place finish would seem. Only a third consecutive 1-0 defeat at the hands of Brazil kept the U.S. out of the finals after the team easily handed the rest of their opposition including an impressive 3-0 victory over Guatemala in the third place match. That match featured Eric Wynalda's tournament leading fourth goal, which was the 22nd of international career, setting a new USA goal standard.

The Most Valuable Player of the tournament, though, was probably former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. The Nobel Peace Prize winner and lifelong soccer fan helped secure visas for scores of visiting players despite a U.S. government shutdown.

Date	Opponent	Result	Goal Scorers	Location
January 13	Trinidad & Tobago	W, 3-2	Moore, Wynalda (2)	Anaheim, CA
January 16	El Salvador	W, 2-0	Balboa, Wynalda	Anaheim, CA
January 18	Brazil	L, 0-1	-	Los Angeles, CA
January 21	Guatemala	W, 3-0	Agoos, Kirovski, Wynalda	Los Angeles, CA

1998 Gold Cup
The 1998 Gold Cup was the most successful yet for CONCACAF, despite bad weather, postponed games and an historic USA-Brazil clash which was played with less than 24 hours notice for both teams.

Preki Radosavljevic was the story for the United States on the offensive end, scoring a brilliant late goal against Costa Rica to send the U.S. thought to the semifinals. That goal would have been enough to lift Preki into U.S. prominence, but he did it one better in the USA's next match, an historic 1-0 triumph over Brazil courtesy of a 22-yard bomb from Preki in 65th minute.

Of course, Preki's goal was only half the story, as goalkeeper Kasey Keller replaced Brad Friedel in nets (who started the USA's first two match) and stymied Romario and Brazil with a 10-save performance,  widely considered to be the best in U.S. Soccer history. On the strength of that game alone, and a 1-0 loss to Mexico in the finals not withstanding, Keller was voted the MVP of the tournament for just two games work.

In the final, Mexican World Cup hero Luis Hernandez scored in the closing minutes of the first half to give the Tricolores a 1-0 victory over the U.S. National Team and the 1998 Gold Cup crown in front of a sod-out crowd of 91, 255 fans at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The crowd was the fourth largest to watch the U.S. National Team domestically and could have included an additional 6,941 paid spectators who watch the game on a giant television screen inside the Los Angeles Sports Arena, adjacent to the Coliseum.

Date	Opponent	Result	Goal Scorers	Location
February 1	Cuba	W, 3-0	Wegerle, Wynalda, Moore	Oakland, CA
February 7	El Salvador	W, 2-0	Balboa, Wynalda	Oakland, CA
February 10	Brazil	W, 1-0	Radosaviljevic	Los Angeles, CA
February 15	Mexico	L, 0-1	-	Los Angeles, CA

2000 Gold Cup
The first Gold Cup of the new millennium featured nine teams from the CONCACAF and three invited squads (Colombia, Peru, and Korea Republic). The 2000 edition also had several surprises, with a new champion being crowned (Canada) and both Mexico and the United States not reaching the semifinal round, a first for the two regional rivals.

The Americans cruised through the first round by capturing the Group B title. with back-to-back shutouts over Haiti (3-0) and Peru (1-0). Cobi Jones led the offense for the USA by notching a goal in the win over Haiti and the game-winner agianst Peru. In the quarterfinals, though, the U.S. faltered. After battling Colombia to a 2-2 draw through regulation and two overtime periods, the United States were defeated on penalty kicks 2-1 and were eliminated from the competition.

Colombia would go on to meet Canada in the 2000 finals. The Canadians had surprisingly advanced out of their first round group by winning a coin-flip tiebreaker over Korea Republic after the two teams had finished dead-even on results and goals.. After eliminating three-time champion Mexico, 2-1, in overtime in the quarterfinals and the topping Trinidad & Tobago, 1-0 in the semifinals, Canada would pull off yet another shocker, being crowned 2000 Gold Cup champions after blanking Colombia 2-0 in the finals.

Date	Opponent	Result	Goal Scorers	Location
February 12	Haiti	W, 3-0	Kirovski, Wynalda, Jones	Miami, FL
February 16	Peru	W, 1-0	Jones	Miami, FL
February 19	Colombia	L, 2-2 (1:2 pks)	McBride, Armas	Miami, FL

2002 Gold Cup
The 2002 Gold Cup once again featured two invited teams (Ecuador and Korea Republic) along with 10 CONCACAF teams. In spectacular fashion, the United States won their first title since 1991 by posting a 4-0 record with four shutouts on their way to their 2002 Gold Cup crown.

The U.S. opened the tournament with consecutive wins in the first round against Korea Republic (2-1) and Cuba (1-0). After easily blanking El Salvador 4-0 in the quarterfinals, the semifinals saw the United States defeat the defending champion Canada 4-2 on penalty kicks after both teams battled to a scoreless draw.

The 2002 final had the USA topping CONCACAF rival Costa Rica 2-0 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. Forward Brian McBride was named the tournament MVP after leading the Americans with four goals.

Date	Opponent	Result	Goal Scorers	Location
January 19	Korea Republic	W, 2-1	Donovan, Beasley	Pasadena, CA
January 21	Cuba	W, 1-0	McBride	Pasadena, CA
January 27	El Salvador	W, 4-0	McBride (3), Razov	Pasadena, CA
January 30	Canada	W, 0-0 (4:2 pks)	-	Pasadena, CA
February 2	Costa Rica	W, 2-0	Wolff, Agoos	Pasadena, CA

2003 Gold Cup
The 2003 Gold Cup was the first in 10 years to be played in two countries, with the games in both Mexico and the United States. Mexico twice defeated Brazil, who along with Colombia was an invited guest to the tournament, by one goal in Azteca Stadium, including a golden-goal victory in the final. The United States finished in the top three for the sixth time in seven tournaments with a thrilling 3-2 come from behind victory over Costa Rica in the Orange Bowl.

The U.S. continued its win streak in group play of the Gold Cup, making easy work of El Salvador and Martinique by identical 2-0 margins. Brian McBride continued his Midas-touch scoring in the tournament with three of the first four U.S. goals. The victories extended the USA's standing as the only CONCACAF team to win every one of its first round games since the inception of the tournament in 1991. The U.S. has won 16 consecutive first round games and has outscored their opponents 33-8. The winning streak includes 10 shutouts, nine one-goal victories and four come-from-behind wins.

Date	Opponent	Result	Goal Scorers	Location
July 12	El Salvador	W, 2-0	Lewis, McBride	Foxboro, MA
July 14	Martinique	W, 2-0	McBride (2)	Foxboro, MA
July 19	Cuba	W, 5-0	Donovan (4), Razov	Foxboro, MA
July 23	Brazil	L, 1-2	Bocanegra	Miami, FL
July 26	Costa Rica	W, 3-2	Stewart, Bocanegra, Convey	Miami, FL

2005 Gold Cup
The United States conquered its third CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2005 by cruising through its group undefeated.

Date	Opponent	Result	Goal Scorers	Location
July 7	Cuba	W, 4-1	Dempsey, Donovan (2), Beasley	Seattle, WA
July 14	Canada	W, 2-0	own goal, Donovan	Seattle, WA
July 12	Costa Rica	T, 0-0	-	Foxboro, MA
July 16	Jamaica	W, 3-1	Wolff, Beasley (2)	Foxboro, MA
July 21	Honduras	W, 2-1	O'Brien, Onyewu	E. Rutherford, NJ
July 24	Panama	W, 0-0 (3:1 pks)	-	E. Rutherford, NJ

Gold Cup Summaries