CONFEDERATION OF NORTH, CENTRAL AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL NEWSLETTER

AUGUST 2001

VOLUME 11 / NUMBER 5

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
8-12 August (FC Champions Cup)
Central American Zone, First Round, Honduras
CD Olimpia (HON), LD Alajuelense (CRC),
CSD Municipal (GUA), CD Plaza Amador (PAN)
15-19 August (FC Champions Cup)
Central American Zone, First Round, Guatemala
CSD Comunicaciones (GUA), CD Saprissa (CRC),
Tauro FC (PAN), CD Motagua (HON)
24-28 August (FC Champions Cup)
Caribbean Zone, Final Round (group play)
Trinidad and Tobago
30 August (FC Champions Cup)
Caribbean Zone, Final
Trinidad and Tobago
1 September (FIFA World Cup)
Mexicos Club Amrica, D.C. United of USA battle in FC Giants Cup final (Photo Tony Quinn, SoccerPix USA)

CLUB AMERICA WINS FIRST GIANTS CUP

WITH 2:0 VICTORY AGAINST D.C. UNITED
An inspired effort from Franky Oviedo gave Club Amrica the
inaugural FC Giants Cup title with a 2:0 victory against D.C.
United on 5 August at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Oviedo didnt collect either goal in the title match. But the
Colombian international, who earned a place in the team only
after an injury to Braulio Luna, controlled the midfield for the
Mexican club who dominated the second half after a scoreless first
half, and was given the Most Valuable Player award.
With the semifinal victories, both teams had already earned one prize on offer a
berth in the first FC Clubs Cup, to be held in 2003, the Confederations qualifying tournament for the FIFA Club World Championship. But the Giants Cup victory ended a
long drought for Amrica, their last honor being the FC Champions Cup title in 1992.
It took just seven minutes of the second half for Amrica to break the deadlock.
Oviedo won the ball in midfield and found Castro, who took off on a mazy run through
the heart of Uniteds ranks. He sent a square pass to Jose de Jesus Mendoza in the D,
and his shot on the half-turn was placed perfectly inside Simpsons left post.
In the 70th minute, Amrica made it 2:0, thanks to Oviedos brilliance. This time
he danced through the United midfield before sliding a perfectly-weighted pass to the
left edge of the box as Octavio Valdez timed his run down the flank. Valdez ripped a
blast inside the near post from a tight angle for a top-quality goal.
In the third-place match, Deportivo Saprissa of Costa Rica put on a resplendent
display in defeating CSD Comunicaciones 3:1. Victor Cordero, Jeaustin Campos and
Kervin Lacey scored for Saprissa, while Martin Machon had the Comunicaciones goal.
Both semifinals were dramatic affairs, as D.C. United defeated Comunicaciones 2:1,
America defeating Saprissa by the same score.
Mark Lisis simple tap-in in the 89th minute gave United the victory in an even
contest that both teams felt they should have won.
(continued on Page 3)

USA - Honduras, Washington, D.C. (10:00)

1 September (FIFA World Cup)
Trinidad & Tobago - Costa Rica, Port-of-Spain (16:00)
2 September (FIFA World Cup)
Jamaica - Mexico, Kingston (16:00)
5 September (FIFA World Cup)
Mexico - Trinidad & Tobago, Mexico, D.F. (12:00)
5 September (FIFA World Cup)
Honduras - Jamaica, Tegucigalpa (19:30)
5 September (FIFA World Cup)
Costa Rica - USA, San Jos (20:00)
12-16 September (FC Champions Cup)
Central American Zone, Final Round
Costa Rica
13 September (FIFA World U-17 Championship)
OPENING MATCH, Port-of-Spain
Trinidad & Tobago - Croatia (13:00)

RECENT ELECTIONS
Cayman Islands Football Association
PRESIDENT: Jeffrey Webb
SECOND VICE PRESIDENT: Anthony Ramoon
ASSISTANT SECRETARY (Operations): Mark White

PAGE 2

2001 FC CHAMPIONS
CUP KICKS OFF IN
UNCAF, CFU
Two more berths in the inaugural FC
Clubs Cup are on offer for the finalists of
the 2001 FC Champions Cup, which begins
this month with the qualifying stages in
the Central and Caribbean zones.
Two quadrangulars will be held in
UNCAF (Central American) qualifying in
August, the top two advancing to a fourteam final round in Costa Rica in
September. The top three from that group
move on to the quarterfinals.
The CFU (Caribbean) qualifying is
heading toward two, four-team groups to
be played in Trinidad & Tobago in late
August. The group winners will play off for
the Caribbean spot in the quarters.
The three Central American and the
Caribbean club will join the two Mexican
clubs (CA Monarcas Morelia and Club
Santos Laguna) and the two U.S. clubs
(Kansas City Wizards and Chicago Fire) in
the final stage, to be played in October.
The semifinals are set for 16 November
with the finals on the 18th, all in a single
site to be announced.

CONFEDERATION NEWS - AUGUST 2001

CENTRAL AMERICAN ZONE
FIRST ROUND
GROUP A, Honduras
08.08.2001, San Pedro Sula,
Estadio Francisco Morazn
LD Alajuelense CD Plaza
Amador (18:00); CD Olimpia
CSD Municipal (20:00)
10.08.2001, San Pedro Sula, Estadio Francisco Morazn
CSD Municipal CD Plaza Amador (18:00);
CD Olimpia LD Alajuelense (20:00)
12.08.2001, Tegucigalpa, Estadio Nacional Tiburcio Caras
LD Alajuelense CSD Municipal (14:00);
CD Olimpia CD Plaza Amador (16:00)
GROUP B, Cd. Guatemala, Estadio Mateo Flores
15.08.2001: Tauro FC CD Saprissa (11:00); CSD
Comunicaciones CD Motagua (13:00)
17.08.2001: Tauro FC CD Motagua (18:00); CSD
Comunicaciones CD Saprissa (20:00)
19.08.2001: CD Motagua CD Saprissa (10:00); CSD
Comunicaciones Tauro FC (12:00)
FINAL ROUND
11-15.09.2001 (or 18-22.09.2001), Costa Rica
CARIBBEAN ZONE FIRST PHASE
SERIES 1
29.07.2001, Georgetown. R: Mark Forde (BRB).
Fruta Conquerors (GUY) W Connection FC (TRI) 2:1
05.08.2001, San Fernando, Trinidad, Gilbert Park. R: Valman
Bedeau (GRN).
W Connection FC (TRI) Fruta Conquerors (GUY) 8:0
(W Connection FC win on aggregate 9:2)
SERIES 2
29.07.2001, Mabouya Valley. R: Martin Charles (DMA)
Rovers United FC (LCA) Defence Force FC (TRI) 0:3

FC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TAKES

ACTION ON WOMENS TOURNAMENTS
A pair of important decisions regarding womens football tournaments in the upcoming year was chief among a lengthy list of
agenda items as the Executive Committee of the Football
Confederation met on 5 July at the Hilton Hotel in Buenos Aires,
Argentina, part of a busy weekend which included the FIFA
Extraordinary Congress, FIFA seminars on racism and education
and the finals of the FIFA World Youth Championship.
Most importantly, a decision was taken to use the second edition of the FC Womens Gold Cup, to be held next year, as the
Confederations qualifying competition for 2003 FIFA Womens
World Cup.
With the WWC finals to be played in China PR, likely in
September/October 2003, the development of the Womens
United Soccer Association in the USA as the preeminent womens
league in the world, and the scheduling of the inaugural FIFA
Womens U-19 World Championship, the Committee felt it was
best to hold just one tournament.
The dates of the competition, along with the format of the final
tournament and all qualifying rounds, will be determined at a later
date. The FC has two guaranteed spots in the 2003 WWC, with the
third-place finisher in the qualifying competition playing the thirdplace team from the Asian Football Confederation for the final
spot. Despite being defending champions, the USA is not guaranteed a berth in the 2003 finals.
As well, with the dates for the inaugural FIFA Womens U-19
Championship set for 17 August - 2 September, discussion was
held regarding the qualifying procedure to determine the
Confederations two available berths (along with host Canada) for

05.08.2001, St. James, Port-of-Spain. R: Barney Callendar (BRB)

Defence Force FC (TRI) Rovers United FC (LCA) 3:1
(Defence Force FC win on aggregate 6:1)
SERIES 3: Racing Club Haitien (HAI) UWS Upsetters (VIR)
(Racing Club Haitien win via walkover)
SERIES 4: Roulado FC (HAI) Club Franciscain (MQE)
(Roulado FC win via walkover)
SERIES 5: CRKSV Jong Colombia (ANT) Roots Alley Ballers
(LCA)
(CRKSV Jong Colombia win via walkover)
SERIES 6
05.08.2001, Kralendijk, Bonaire. R: Harlem Villar Polo (ARU)
SV Juventus (ANT) SNL (SUR) 0:2
12.08.2001, Paramaribo, Essed stadion. R: John Callendar (GUY)
SNL (SUR) SV Juventus (ANT)
SERIES 7: SV Transvaal (SUR) HBA Panthers (VGB)
(SV Transvaal win via walkover)
SERIES 8
12.08.2001, Basseterre, Warner Park. R: Guy Bellance (MQE)
Hotspurs FC (SKN) Empire FC (ATG)
19.08.2001, St. Johns, Antigua Recreation Ground. R: Giles Arthur
(LCA)
Empire FC (ATG) Hotspurs FC (SKN)
SECOND PHASE (24,26,28.08.2001)
GROUP A: W Connection FC, Racing Club Haitien, CRKSV Jong
Colombia, SV Transvaal
GROUP B: Defence Force FC, Roulado FC, winners Series 6,8
FINAL, 30.08.2001
Winner Group A Winner Group B

that competition. Members of the committee were asked to present proposals for organization of the tournament.
The attendance by every member of the Confederation for the
FIFA Congress also allowed President Jack Warner and General
Secretary Chuck Blazer to meet with all the national associations
following the Executive Committee for a report. The next meeting
of the ExCo will be held in November of this year, at a date and
site still to be determined.

THREE FC MEMBERS AMONG GOAL

PROJECT RECIPIENTS

The FIFA Goal Bureau, under the chairmanship of Mohamed

Bin Hammam (Qatar), FIFA Executive Committee member and
Chairman of the FIFA Technical Committee, convened in
Buenos Aires for an ordinary meeting on 4 July. The Bureau
approved in total 21 new projects in the Goal Programme,
including three in the Football Confederation: Honduras,
Montserrat and Panama.
The construction involved in all of the projects mentioned
above - headquarters, technical centres or football fields - are
all due to commence in the coming weeks. The financial
contribution from the Goal Programme consists of USD
400,000 for each project.
The Goal Programme, initiated by FIFA President Joseph S.
Blatter, is funded with a budget of CHF 100 million for the
period of 1999 - 2002. So far, 23 Goal projects have already
been completed or are due to be finished soon. Requests were
also received from 50 other national associations to be considered for Goal at the meeting. All in all, 102 national associations
will have benefited from Goal by the end of 2002 and the initial
target will thus have been accomplished.

CONFEDERATION NEWS - AUGUST 2001

PAGE 3

GOLD CUP: CUBA BEATS PANAMA FOR FINALS SPOT

Club Amricas Hugo Pineda was named

Best Goalkeeper of the tournament.
Photo Tony Quinn, SoccerPix USA

(Giants Cup continued from page 1)

Comunicaciones took the lead in the 23rd

minute through Andres Rivera, but Jaime
Moreno replied three minutes with a
world-class goal.
Jorge Toledano scored a goal in each
half, the second in the 68th minute to give
America a 2:1 victory in the other semifinal.
But the Aguilas werent clear until literally
the final play of the game as Saprissa saw
a header come back off the bar in the last
seconds of the match.
FC GIANTS CUP
Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
FINAL, 05.08.2001
CLUB AMRICA - DC UNITED 2:0 (0:0)
Jose de Jesus MENDOZA 52, Octavio VALDEZ 70
R: Noel BYNOE (TRI)
THIRD-PLACE MATCH
CSD COMUNICACIONES - DEPORTIVO SAPRISSA 1:3 (0:2)
Victor CORDERO 32, Jeaustin CAMPOS 40, Kervin LACEY 65
Martin MACHON 79
R: Roberto MORENO (PAN)
Sent off: Walter CENTENO (SAP) 51, Alvaro JIMENEZ (COM) 51,
Luis Pedro MOLINA (COM) 86
SEMIFINALS, 03.08.2001
DC UNITED - CSD COMUNICACIONES 2:1 (1:1)
Jaime MORENO 26, Mark LISI 89 Andres RIVERA 23
R: Noel BYNOE (TRI)
DEPORTIVO SAPRISSA - CLUB AMRICA 1:2 (1:1)
Daniel TORRES 38 Jorge TOLEDANO 21, 63
R: Rodolfo SIBRIAN (SLV)
QUARTERFINALS
SERIES A
04.04.2001: ARNETT GARDENS FC D.C. UNITED 0:3
11.04.2001: D.C. UNITED ARNETT GARDENS FC 2:1
(D.C. United win on aggregate 5:1)
SERIES B
08.07.2001: CSD COMUNICACIONES CD GUADALAJARA 3:1
01.08.2001: CD GUADALAJARA - CSD COMUNICACIONES 1:1
(CSD Comunicaciones win on aggregate 4:2)
SERIES C
25.07.2001: CSD MUNICIPAL CLUB AMRICA 0:1
31.07.2001: CLUB AMRICA - CSD MUNICIPAL 2:1
(Club Amrica win on aggregate 3:1)
SERIES D
04.04.2001: DEPORTIVO SAPRISSA COLUMBUS CREW 2:0
11.04.2001: COLUMBUS CREW DEPORTIVO SAPRISSA 1:1
(Deportivo Saprissa win on aggregate 3:1)

Cuba qualified for the finals of the FC Gold Cup 2002 with a 1:0
victory against Panama on Sunday at Estadio Pedro Marrero in
Havana, through a goal from forward Serguei Prado.
In the first leg of the playoff series for the final available spot in
the tournament, the teams played to a scoreless draw at Estadio
Rommel Fernandez in Panama. In the return match, with some
6,000 fans on hand, Cuba qualified for the Gold Cup for the second
time after appearing in 1998.
The match-winner came from Prado in the 79th minute, after the Cuban forward
had come on as a substitute. A powerful shot was saved by the valiant Panamanian
goalkeeper Oscar McFarlane, who many times saved his team, but this time the defense
was unable to clear the danger. The ball fell
to Prado, who had time to settle and shoot,
hitting the back of the net for the victory.
Cuba rounds out the Gold Cup qualifiers,
joining Canada (holders), Mexico and the
USA from the North Zone, Guatemala,
El Salvador and Costa Rica (Central Zone)
and Trinidad & Tobago, Haiti and Martinique
(Caribbean Zone). The field of 12 will be filled
out with a pair of invited teams, for the
tournament which will run 18 January 3
February 2002.
Cuba returning to FC Gold Cup for second time

COPA AMERICA:
MEXICO RUNNER-UP;
HONDURAS THIRD

Colombia, with a goal from Ivn

Cordoba, defeated Mexico 1:0 on 30 July
to win Copa America for the first time
ever in the 40th edition of the tournament. Crdoba, a defender with
Internationale FC (Italy), scored the
match-winning goal on a header in the
64th minute to give the host nation an
unforgettable finish.
Mexico finished with nine players after
the sending off of Juan Pablo Rodriguez in
the 77th minute and Gerardo Torrado just
seconds before the final whistle for rough
play. In addition, Mexico technical director Javier Aguirre was dismissed in the
20th minute for protesting a foul called by
referee Ubaldo Aquino of Paraguay.

Mexico again places second in Copa America

after tough 1:0 loss to Colombia in final
Photo courtesy Prensa Libre

Mexico was also runner-up in 1993 in

Ecuador, their first participation in the
South American championship.
Honduras grabbed third place in their
first-ever Copa America winning on penalties after a 2:2 draw in regulation time to
give the Football Confederation two of the
top three spots.
Henry Enamorado, who made a number of key saves throughout the match,
ended as the hero for the catrachos by
saving the final penalty kick from Carlos
Gutierrez, which ended up as the difference in the shootout.
Sal Martinez in the 13th minute and
Junior Izaguirre in the 43rd were the
goalscorers for Honduras, while Uruguay
twice responded, through Joe Bizera on 21
minutes and Walter Guglielmone in the
44th. In the penalty shootout, the first
four shooters hit for Uruguay, but
Enamorado saved Gutierrezs effort with a
full stretch to his right. Honduras converted all five of their kicks.
Mexico advanced to the final of the
Copa America by defeating Uruguay 2:1 in
a heated game that saw each team have
two players sent off and the South
Americans play with 10 men for much of
the second half. The next night, Colombia
put an end to the dream of Honduras with
a clear 2:0 victory in the second semifinal.
The third FC entrant, Costa Rica, was
dumped out in a last-minute 2:1 loss to
Uruguay in the quarterfinals, after earning
accolades as the most attractive team in
the tournament in the group stage.

FC WEBSITE GETS NEW LOOK

The official website of the Football Confederation, at
www.footballconfederation.com, has been relaunched with a new
look and expanded information.
The website now offers pages with the latest news and stories
from every event in the Confederation, in addition to the full
statistical record in an easier-to-use format.
In addition, information has been expanded on each of the 35
full members and five associate members of the Confederation,
including the latest seasons table for each first division throughout the region and details on each first division club.
Fully functional in both English and Spanish, the site also
contains the statutes of the Confederation and regulations for
every competition, biographies of every member of the
Confederations committees and the groups function, and
calendars and other information.
Developed by REOL Services, Inc. in conjunction with the
Football Confederation, the site can be easily switched between
the two languages.

AROUND THE LEAGUES

Visit the Official Football Confederation Website: www.footballconfederation.com

725 FIFTH AVENUE, 17TH FLOOR, TRUMP TOWER, NEW YORK, NY 10022

CONFEDERATION OF NORTH, CENTRAL AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO:

W Connection FC continued their collection
of silverware when they captured the 2001
L-Sporto President's Cup with a 2:1 victory
over San Juan Jabloteh. The Point Lisasbased club had also won the 2000 PFL and
FA Trophy titles.

HONDURAS:
CD Platense defeated CD Olimpia on a
golden goal to capture Clausura championship in the Liga Nacional in Honduras
on 22 July at the Estadio Nacional in
Tegucigalpa. It is just the second championship for the Puerto Cortes-based club
since the professional era began in
Honduras - the first title coming in the first
year of the modern era, 1965.

BELIZE:
Kulture Yabra SC won their first-ever
championship of the Belize Football
League, finishing off Builders Hardware
Bandits of Belmopan in a two-game sweep
of the BFL championship series. In the first
leg at home, Kulture Yabra posted a 1:0 victory. Then a second leg victory gave the
capital their first championship since Acros
performed the feat six years ago.