DECEMBER 2002

VOLUME 12 / NUMBER 8

CONFEDERATION OF NORTH, CENTRAL AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL NEWSLETTER

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
10-14 December
FC Under-17 Junior Tournament
Central Zone qualifying
Siguatepeque, Honduras
11-15 December
FC Champions Cup
Caribbean Zone final (Group B)
Trinidad & Tobago
15-19 January 2003
FC Under-17 Junior Tournament
Central Zone qualifying
Arco Iris, Panam
26 January 2003
CONCACAF Referees Committee Meeting
New York, NY USA
Striker Orlando Rodriguez led Panamas attack as they won their group in the FC Under-20 Youth
Tournament and qualified for a FIFA world championship for the first time in history.
(Photo: Diario La Prensa, Panam).

WOMEN AND YOUTH TAKE TO THE WORLD STAGE IN

QUALIFYING FOR FIFA FINALS

Its been a busy few months around the Confederation, with a

number of countries all realizing their dreams of claiming CONCACAF
places for the world stage in myriad competitions and more to come.
The biggest event was the FC Womens Gold Cup, the
Confederations signature event for womens national teams. This year,
the competition took on a double importance CONCACAFs two-plus
berths for FIFA Womens World Cup 2003 China PR also on offer along
with the title of champion of the region.
In the end, it took a truly golden goal from Mia Hamm to give the USA a 2:1 victory
against Canada and claim their fifth CONCACAF womens championship in five tries,
while staying unbeaten all-time in Confederation championship matches. But both finalists
had already secured the two CONCACAF automatic berths; Mexico earned the right to a
playoff with the third-placed team in the Asian Football Confederation by defeating Costa
Rica in the Womens Gold Cup third-place match.
As well, the four CONCACAF representatives for the FIFA World Youth Championship
were decided in the two final tournaments in Panama and the USA. The latter qualified for
the ninth time in 14 World Youth Championships, but Panama surprised everyone by winning their group and reaching a FIFA world finals for the first time at any level in earning
a ticket to the United Arab Emirates. Mexico finished second to Panama to qualify for a
10th WYC, while Canada knocked off the USA to win their group and earn a sixth-ever trip.
By the end of the year, the eight teams for the FC final tournaments at the Under-17
level will be decided, with the winners in the tournaments set for March 2003 qualifying
for FIFA Under-17 World Championship Finland 2003. The quadrangulars will be played
in Canada and Guatemala.
Finally, the Confederations two prestige tournaments kick into high gear following the
new year, with qualifying rounds already underway. The final 16 teams for the 2003 version of the CONCACAF Champions Cup will be decided by the end of December, the first
round proper (home and away format) set to kick off in February. The FC Gold Cup field
will also be set by spring for the seventh edition of the Confederations signature event for
national teams to be played 12-27 July 2003 when qualifying concludes in the
Caribbean and Central zones.

27 January 2003
CONCACAF Executive Committee Meeting
New York, NY USA
5-16 February 2003
FC Gold Cup
Central Zone Qualifying
Cd. Panam
26 February/12 March 2003
FC Champions Cup
Round-of-16 matches
(to be finalized)
5-9 March 2003
FC U-17 Junior Tournament
Final (Group A)
Guatemala
26-30 March 2003
FC U-17 Junior Tournament
Final (Group B)
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
25 March 16 April 2003
FIFA World Youth Championship
United Arab Emirates
12-27 July 2003
FC Gold Cup
USA

PAGE 2

FOUR CONCACAF TEAMS

QUALIFY FOR FIFA WORLD
YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP
After enduring some
grueling group matches,
Mexico, Panama, the
USA and Canada will be
the four CONCACAF
representatives to the
FIFA World Youth
Championship 2003 United Arab Emirates,
slated for 25 March - 16 April.
Group A of the FC final tournament, a
four-team round-robin played in Panama
from 16-20 October, produced several surprises; not the least of which was the hosts
finish atop the group after converting a dramatic penalty against Mexico in their final
match. However, despite the result, both
teams had already assured themselves of
passage to the World Championship.
The Group B quadrangular, hosted by
the USA in Charleston, South Carolina from
13-17 November, produced the two teams
qualified for the world stage that most had
anticipated entering the tournament.
However, the order of finish was slightly different, Canada defeating the USA in their
final match to overtake the hosts and land in
the top spot in the group.

CONFEDERATION NEWS - DECEMBER 2002

On the opening night of play in Group A,
Panama scored a stoppage time goal to
defeat rivals Central American Guatemala,
getting their qualifying effort off to the best
possible start. The hosts followed up their
success with a 2:0 blanking of Caribbean
Zone side Cuba that ensured the
Panamanians of a spot in a FIFA World
Championship for the first time in their history, before defeating Mexico to win the group.
Mexico, were also impressive on their
way to the coveted berth. The tricolores
opened their run with a shutout victory over
Cuba and followed it up with a dominating
4:1 win over Guatemala on the second day
before dropping their finale to the hosts.
The USA and Canada were equally as
impressive in Group B.
In the tournaments opening day, the
USA and Canada went to the top of the
group standing after each posted identical
2:0 victories, the USA getting the upper
hand on Caribbean representatives Haiti
while Canada defeated El Salvador from the
Central Zone.
Matchday two saw another shutout victory for the hosts, scoring a late goal to overcome an early red card and defeat the
Salvadorans 1:0. The win clinched a spot in
the World Championship for the USA.
Canada, also with the chance to qualify with
a win, struggled to find offensive cohesion

and were held to a scoreless draw by Haiti,

leaving the group finely poised entering the
last pair of matches.
Haiti, needing a win against El Salvador
and a heavy defeat for Canada on the final
day, were able to get produce the result they
needed against the Central Zone side, scoring two unanswered goals in a 2:1 victory.
However, their dreams of qualification were
dashed as Canada raced out to three-goal
lead against the USA with 20 minutes
remaining before giving back two late goals
but still holding on for the victory, giving
them the group title as well.

Canada surprised the USA to win their group,

but both qualified for United Arab Emirates
2003 (Photo: Charleston Battery)

Tobago. The two countries then eased to semifinal victories on the

final day of group matches to move into the semifinals.
For the second time this year Canada fell to
Meanwhile, Canada and Costa Rica quickly established themthe USA on a golden goal in a womens football
selves as the class of Group 2, being played in Victoria, British
final, Mia Hamms goal four minutes into extra
Columbia.
time giving the USA a 2:1 victory and the chamBoth sides dominated in their first match, Canada saddling Haiti
pionship of the 2002 FC Womens Gold Cup at
with a heavy defeat, while Costa Rica were in total control from the
the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
outset as they shutout the Reggae Girlz from Jamaica.
In all, the tournament, which this year served
The second group matches for both teams yielded similar results,
as the final round of Confederation qualifying to the 2003 FIFA
with either side posting large shutout victories that put them
Womens World Cup China PR, demonstrated that CONCACAF
through to the semifinals. That left their battle on the final day of
remains at the forefront in the development of womens football.
group play to decide who would finish in the top spot, Canada endPre-tournament favorites Canada and
ing all suspense before halfthe USA earned the Confederations
time, scoring two goals en
automatic berths in next summers
route to a 3:0 victory.
Womens World Cup after reaching the
The semifinals, also played
finals of the Womens Gold Cup.
in Seattle, were two very disHowever, several other teams, including
parate affairs. Despite only
third-place side Mexico, impressed
holding a one-goal lead at the
observers with their play.
interval, the USA clearly had
The surprises began on the first day
the better of play and eventuof competition, when Panama, in just
ally overpowered Costa Rica
their first year of international womens
in a 7:0 victory. Canada,
competition, defeated a Trinidad &
meanwhile were fortunate to
Tobago side in the Group 1 opener in
even make it to the final after
Pasadena. Though Panama would not
Mexico put two balls into
The four Womens Gold Cup semifinalists do battle in group play:
muster another point and went home
their own net, giving the
Canada faces Costa Rica (left) and the USA takes on Mexico (right).
after the first round, their win proved
Maple Leafs a gut-wrenching
(Photo: Tony Quinn/SoccerPix USA)
that a changing of the guard in womens
2:0 victory.
soccer could be right around the corner.
However, Mexico still have a chance to qualify for FIFA Womens
After losing their first match to the USA, Mexico righted their
World Cup 2003; the tricolores must defeat the fourth-placed team
ship for their second encounter, a dominating victory over Panama,
from the Asian Football Confederation in a two-leg play early next
while the USA had few problems in a shutout win over Trinidad &
year for chance to compete on the world stage.

FC WOMENS GOLD CUP REVIEW

CONFEDERATION NEWS - DECEMBER 2002

PAGE 3

29 CONCACAF COUNTRIES NOW IN FIFA GOAL PROJECT

With the addition of

eight more CONCACAF
member countries to the
FIFA Goal Programme, 29
national associations in the
Confederation have now
been selected to take part in
the development program.

CONCACAF President Jack A.

Warner, flanked by Keith Look
Loy and TCIFA President
Thomas Smith, cut the ribbon

The number of GOAL

projects being undertaken
in the region swelled at the
last meeting of the FIFA
GOAL Bureau in Zurich,
where Barbados, Bermuda,
Canada, Cayman Islands
and St. Kitts & Nevis were
selected to receive support
from the program. In addition, the Fdration
Franaise de Football was
added to the list for projects
benefitting their overseas
departments of Martinique,
Guadeloupe and French
Guyana - all CONCACAF
members.
Of the 29 projects in the
Confederation, eight have
now been completed,
Guatemala and Belize joining the ranks when FIFA
President Joseph S. Blatter
inaugurated those facilities
in late November. Opened
previously: Bahamas, Cuba,
Haiti, Montserrat,
Nicaragua and Turks &
Caicos Islands.

FIFA President Joseph

S. Blatter introduced GOAL
to support the national
associations and his proposal was approved at the 1999
Extraordinary FIFA
Congress in Los Angeles.
Individual Goal projects are
tailor-made to meet the
requirements and priorities
of the respective national
associations.
Projects have included
building and renovating
association headquarters to
ensure that football administration remains free of
interference, constructing
technical centres for national teams of all ages and providing courses for coaches
and referees, as well as
funding programmes to
develop football at the
grassroots level and providing all-weather artificial
pitches or grass pitches to
improve the quality and
number of playing facilities
at national or regional level.
GOAL funding has also
helped to improve comfort
levels at football matches
through the renovation of
spectator stands, to refurbish football schools to promote the game at youth and
grassroots levels, and to
support a number of education programmes around
the world.
Examples of what the
FIFA GOAL Project came to
light in CONCACAF with the
inauguration of the facilities
in Cuba and Turks & Caicos.
Their names may be poles
apart on the register banks
of most people, but the
Caribbean islands were
treated with equal weighting
by the FIFA GOAL programme.
In Cuba, the Escuela
Nacional Mario Lopez
Alfonso will effectively

become the new home of

Cuban football. Located in
the Estadio Pedro Marrero,
which has also been renovated by GOAL, the
Escuela Nacional is the
result of cooperation
between GOAL and the
Cuban government, which
donated the technical
expertise, labour and equipment for the project. The
facility includes offices for
the national association, five
dormitories for players and
coaches, medical installations, conference and library
facilities and a new field.
On Turks and Caicos,
the countrys first highquality field was constructed. The TCIFAs National
Academy was inaugurated
and includes artificial lights,
fencing and changing rooms.

The ribbon is cut, inaugurating

the FIFA GOAL Project
facility in Cuba

Joining FIFA only in

1998, the TCIFA has concentrated over the past four
years on the popularisation
of the sport and the establishment of its development
programme, which has seen
the introduction of youth,
schools and womens football, as well as the consolidation of the domestic
mens competition.

The field on Turks & Caicos Islands built through the GOAL Project,
the first floodlit field in the country

AROUND THE
CONFEDERATION

FC GOLD CUP QUALIFYING: The Caribbean is

down to its final eight teams in
qualifying for the 2003 FC
Gold Cup following the completion of the four group tournaments in November.
The eight qualifiers
Trinidad & Tobago and Saint Lucia (Group A); Haiti
and Antigua & Barbuda (Group B); Jamaica and
Guadeloupe (Group C); Cuba and Martinique
(Group D) will be split into two four-team final
groups, to be played in Jamaica and Trinidad &
Tobago in March and April.
The Central Zone qualifiers will be determined
in the UNCAF Copa de Naciones, set for 5-16
February 2003 in Panama, with the FC Gold Cup
finals scheduled for 12-27 July 2003.
CHAMPIONS CUP: The field is nearly set for the
first round proper of the 2003
FC Champions Cup, again to
be played over two legs from
the round-of-16 onward.
The six Central Zone qualifiers have already been
decided: CSD Comunicaciones and CSD
Guatemala from Guatemala, the only country with
two teams, along with CD F.A.S. (El Salvador),
Deportivo Arabe Unido (Panama), CD Motagua
(Honduras) and LD Alajuelense (Costa Rica).
In addition, the four U.S. clubs were decided
with the completion of the 2002 Major League
Soccer schedule: MLS Cup champion and runner-up
Los Angeles Galaxy and New England Revolution,
U.S. Open Cup winner Columbus Crew, and MLS
Supporters Shield winner San Jose Earthquakes.
One Caribbean Zone finalists was determined
when Arnett Gardens FC captured their group final;
the other will come from W Connection FC (Trinidad
& Tobago), FICA (Haiti), Harbour View FC (Jamaica)
and US Robert (Martinique). As well, the four
Mexican representatives will be known following the
completion of the 2002 Torneo Apertura in the
Primera Division.
SPORTS MEDICINE WORKSHOP: Twenty-one
participants from diverse fields graduated from the
CONCACAF Level II Sports Medicine Workshop,
held last week at the Dr Joo Havelange Centre of
Excellence in Tunapuna, Trinidad. The workshop
was chaired by Dr. Rudy Gittens, Chairman of the
Confederations Sports Medicine Committee, along
with Dr. Terrence Babwah. Both are members of the
FIFA Sports Medical Committee.
Topics covered during the workshop included
anatomy, nutrition and fitness, management of knee
and ankle injuries, concussions and a variety of
other sports injuries. Participants in the course
included coaches, physiotherapists and paramedics, from countries including Anguilla,
Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Grenada, St. Kitts
and Nevis and Trinidad & Tobago.
The Level II course followed a Level I course
held last February, but with a more advanced curriculum. A Level III workshop is planned for the
early part of 2003.

PAGE 4

CONFEDERATION NEWS - DECEMBER 2002

FOR THE RECORD

725 FIFTH AVENUE, 17th FLOOR, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10022

FC WOMENS GOLD CUP 2003

GROUP 1
USA
3
3
0
0
15:0
9
Mexico
3
2
0
1
7:4
6
Panama
3
1
0
2
5:16
3
Trinidad & Tobago
3
0
0
3
2:9
0
GROUP 2
Canada
3
3
0
0
23:1
9
Costa Rica
3
2
0
1
7:3
6
Haiti
3
1
0
2
3:17
3
Jamaica
3
0
0
3
1:13
0
SEMIFINALS 06.11.2002: Seattle, Washington USA; Safeco Field
USA - Costa Rica 7:0 (1:0)
Cindy PARLOW 30, 49, 52; Angela HUCLES 65; Cinthia LOPEZ 79
(og); Shannon MacMILLAN 86; Kristine LILLY 90
R: Sonia DENONCOURT (CAN)
Canada - Mexico 2:0 (1:0)
Dioselina VALDERRAMA 10 (og); Elizabeth GOMEZ 70 (og)
R: Clareth JIMENEZ (CRC)
09.11.2002: Pasadena, California USA; Rose Bowl (A: 6911)
THIRD-PLACE MATCH
Mexico Costa Rica 4:1 (2:1)
Monica GONZALEZ 13 (PEN); Iris MORA 37; Maribel DOMINGUEZ
66, 82 Shirley CRUZ 26
R: Kari SEITZ (USA)
FINAL
USA Canada 2:1 (1:1, 1:1)
Tiffeny MILBRETT 27; Mia HAMM 94 Charmaine HOOPER 47+
R: Dianne FERREIRA-JAMES (GUY)
FC U-20 YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP
GROUP A (Cd. Panama, Estadio Nacional)
16.10.2002: Mexico - Cuba 2:0; Panama - Guatemala 1:0
18.10.2002: Guatemala - Mexico 1:4; Panama - Cuba 2:0
20.10.2002: Cuba - Guatemala 1:0; Panama - Mexico 2:1
GROUP B (Charleston, South Carolina, Blackbaud Stadium)
13.11.2002: Canada El Salvador 2:0; USA Haiti 2:0
15.11.2002: Haiti Canada 0:0; USA - El Salvador 1:0
17.11.2002: El Salvador Haiti 1:2; USA Canada 2:3

FC GOLD CUP 2003

CARIBBEAN ZONE QUALIFYING (SEMIFINAL STAGE)
GROUP A (Tunapuna and Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago)
Trinidad & Tobago
2
1
0
1
2:1
Saint Lucia
2
1
0
1
2:2
St. Kitts & Nevis
2
1
0
1
2:3
GROUP B (St. Georges, Grenada)
Jamaica
3
2
1
0
7:2
Guadeloupe
3
2
0
1
6:6
Barbados
3
1
1
1
3:2
Grenada
3
0
0
3
5:11
GROUP C (Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands)
Cuba
3
3
0
0
9:2
Martinique
3
2
0
1
8:2
Cayman Islands
3
1
0
2
1:8
Republica Dominicana
3
0
0
3
1:7
GROUP D (Port-au-Prince, Haiti)
Haiti
2
2
0
0
4:0
Antigua & Barbuda
2
0
1
1
1:2
Netherlands Antilles
2
0
1
1
1:4
CENTRAL AMERICAN QUALIFYING (Panam; 05-16.02.2003)
PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES: Panam, Belize, Costa Rica, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua
FC CHAMPIONS CUP
CENTRAL ZONE QUALIFYING
GROUP A (San Salvador, El Salvador)
Deportivo Arabe Unido (PAN) 3
2
CD F.A.S (SLV)
3
2
Alianza FC (SLV)
3
2
FC Deportivo Jalapa (NCA)
3
0
GROUP B (Cd. Guatemala)
CSD Municipal (GUA)
3
2
CSD Comunicaciones (GUA)
3
2
Santos de Guapiles FC (CRC) 3
2
San Marcos FC (NCA)
3
0
GROUP C (Tegucigalpa, Honduras)
LD Alajuelense (CRC)
3
2
CD Motagua (HON)
3
2
CD Marathon (HON)
3
1
Tauro FC (PAN)
3
0

3
3
3
7
6
4
0
9
6
3
0
6
1
1

0
0
0
0

1
1
1
3

21:1
19:3
6:3
1:40

6
6
6
0

0
0
0
0

1
1
1
3

9:3
10:4
4:4
0:12

6
6
6
0

1
1
0
0

0
0
2
3

7:5
6:4
6:4
3:9

7
7
3
0

CARIBBEAN ZONE QUALIFYING PRELIMINARY ROUND

George Town SC (CYM) Harbour View FC (JAM) 0:3; Harbour View
FC George Town SC 7:1 (Harbour View FC 10:1 on aggregate)
St. Joseph (DMA) US Robert (MQE) 0:5;
US Robert St. Joseph 1:1 (US Robert 6:1 on aggregate)
CARIBBEAN ZONE QUALIFYING FINAL ROUND
GROUP A (04-08.12.2002, Jamaica; league format)
Arnett Gardens FC (JAM); Violette AC (HAI); VSADC (LCA)
GROUP B (11-15.12.2002, Trinidad & Tobago; league format)
W Connection FC (TRI); Harbour View FC (JAM), US Robert (MQE)
FC U-17 JUNIOR TOURNAMENT
CARIBBEAN ZONE QUALIFYING
GROUP A (Hamilton, Bermuda)
Bermuda
3
1
1
1
6:2
4
Guyana
3
1
1
1
4:4
4
Saint Lucia
3
1
1
1
3:7
4
Trinidad & Tobago
3
0
3
0
2:2
3
GROUP B:
Jamaica Antigua & Barbuda 6:1;
Antigua & Barbuda Jamaica 0:1 (Jamaica 7:1 on aggregate)
GROUP C: (San Cristbal, Repblica Dominicana)
Republica Dominicana
3
2
1
0
13:4
7
Haiti
3
2
0
1
8:4
6
Barbados
3
1
1
1
9:4
4
Cayman Islands
3
0
0
3
2:20
0
GROUP D (La Habana, Cuba)
Cuba
3
3
0
0
12:1
9
Suriname
3
2
0
1
9:3
6
Aruba
3
1
0
2
3:8
3
Bahamas
3
0
0
3
0:12
0
FINAL
24.11.2002: Jamaica Republica Dominicana 4:0
08.12.2002: Republica Dominicana Jamaica 0:1
07.12.2002: Bermuda Cuba 0:0; 15.12.2002: Cuba - Bermuda
CENTRAL ZONE QUALIFYING (group winners advance)
GROUP A: (11-15.12.2002; Siguatepeque, Honduras)
10.12.2002: El Salvador v Nicaragua; 12.12.2002: Honduras v El
Salvador; 14.12.2002: Nicaragua v Honduras
GROUP B: (15-19.01.2003; Arco Iris, Panam)
15.01.2003: Belize v Costa Rica; 17.01.2003: Panama v Belize;
19.01.2003: Costa Rica v Panama