June 2006 Volume 16/ Number 3

CONCACAF NEWS
Official Newsletter of The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football

Calendar of Events
9 June 9 July
2006 FIFA World Cup, Germany
16-29 July
2006 Cent. American & Caribbean Games, Colombia
14-26 August
2006 Caribbean Youth Cup, Trinidad & Tobago
2006 FIFA WORLD CUP - CONCACAF
TEAMS FIRST ROUND SCHEDULE
09.06: Germany COSTA RICA (18:00)
10.06: TRINIDAD & TOBAGO Sweden (18:00)
11.06: MEXICO Iran (18:00)
12.06: USA Czech Republic (18:00)
15.06: Ecuador COSTA RICA (15:00)
15.06: England TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (18:00)
16.06: MEXICO Angola (21:00)
Costa Rica (red) is first CONCACAF team since 1970 to open a FIFA World Cup. Photo by Tony Quinn

Costa Rica To Open FIFA World Cup 2006

For the first time since 1970, the World Cup opening game will
feature a CONCACAF team when Costa Rica meets the host, and
three-time world champions, Germany, on 9 June.
Making their third appearance at the FIFA World Cup, Costa
Rica also find themselves in a group with Ecuador and Poland.
The ticos became the first Central American team to reach the
Round of 16 when they defeated Scotland and Sweden in the
Italy 1990 tournament. Costa Rica returned to the world stage in Korea/Japan
2002 narrowly missing out on a berth in the knockout stages on goal difference.
Trinidad & Tobago are making their first appearance in the FIFA World Cup
finals and will compete in a Group B that includes the 1966 world champions
England, Sweden and Paraguay. The soca warriors are the smallest nation
appearing at World Cup 2006.
Mexico, playing in their 13th World Cup, are the top seed in Group D; the first
non-hosting CONCACAF team to gain a seeded position. Portugal, Iran and a newcomer to the FIFA event, Angola are the three other teams in Mexicos group.
The tricolor have reached the Round-of-16 in their last four World Cup
tournaments but have never won on European Soil. Mexicos best finish in a
World Cup was sixth place when they hosted the FIFA event in 1970 and 1986.
The USA, in their eighth FIFA World Cup, are in Group E joining the Czech
Republic, three-time world champions Italy, and World Cup rookies Ghana.
The stars & stripes are the only CONCACAF team to have reached the World
Cup Semifinals. Historically, the USA have earned victories over England, Colombia
and Portugal, but are still looking for their first World Cup points on European soil.
At the conclusion of the first round, the top two from each of the eight
groups will progress to the Round-of-16 from 24-27 June. The quarterfinals
are scheduled for the 30 June and 1 July, while the semifinals are set for 4 & 5
July. The third-place encounter will take place on 8 July, while the next day
the 2006 FIFA World Cup Final will be played in Berlin.

17.06: Italy USA (21:00)

20.06: COSTA RICA Poland (16:00)
20.06: Paraguay TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (21:00)
21.06: Portugal MEXICO (16:00)
22.06: Ghana USA (16:00)

2006 FIFA World Cup

Groups
Group A
Germany
Costa Rica
Poland
Ecuador

Group B
England
Paraguay
Trinidad & Tobago
Sweden

Group C
Argentina
Ivory Coast
Serbia & Mont.
Netherlands

Group D
Mexico
Iran
Angola
Portugal

Group E
Italy
Ghana
USA
Czech Republic

Group F
Brazil
Croatia
Australia
Japan

Group G
France
Switzerland
Korea Republic
Togo

Group G
Spain
Ukraine
Tunisia
Saudi Arabia

PAGE 2

Club America Wins 2006

Champions Cup
Club Amrica of
Mexico won their fifth
CONCACAF
Champions Cup
after defeating visiting Mexican rivals CD
Toluca 2:1 in extra time in the secondleg of the 2006 Final held at the Azteca
Stadium in Mexico City on 19 April.
After the first-leg of the 2006 Final
had ended in a scoreless draw on 12
April, the second-leg seven days later
also failed to deliver any goals in the
first 90 minutes, sending the final game
into extra time.
Paulo Csar Da Silva gave CD Toluca
a 1:0 lead with a goal three minutes
into extra time, but Kleber Boas scored
an equaliser in the 105th minute and
ten minutes later, Duilio Davino had the
game-winner giving Club Amrica victory by a score of 2:1.
This is the guilas fifth CONCACAF
crown (1977, 1987, 1990, 1992, 2006),
equaling the overall best mark held by
Mexicos CDSC Cruz Azul (1969, 1970,
1971, 1996, 1997).
Club Amricas victory secured them
a berth as the CONCACAF qualifier to
the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2006 in
December, while Champions Cup runner-up, CD Toluca, will be one of the
three CONCACAF guest teams the Copa
Nissan Sudamericana later this year.

CONCACAF NEWS - June 2006

Quarterfinal Results
Series 1
22 Feb: Houston, Texas USA
Portmore United (JAM) - Club America (MEX) 1:2
8 Mar: Mexico City, Mxico
Club America (MEX) - Portmore United (JAM) 5:2
Series 2
22 Feb: Hamilton, Bermuda
NE Revolution (USA) - LD Alajuelense (CRC) 0:0
8 Mar: Alajuela, Costa Rica
LD Alajuelense (CRC) - NE Revolution (USA) 1:0
Series 3
22 Feb: San Pedro Sula, Honduras
CD Olimpia (HON) - CD Toluca (MEX)
8 Mar: Toluca, Mxico
CD Toluca (MEX) - CD Olimpia (HON)

Club Amrica captures its fifth CONCACAF

Champions Cup. Photo by Omar Martinez

0:2
2:1

Series 4
23 Feb: Carson, California USA
LA Galaxy (USA) - Deportivo Saprissa (CRC) 0:0
8 Mar: San Jose, Costa Rica
Dep. Saprissa (CRC) - LA Galaxy (USA) 3:2 aet
Semifinal Results
SF 1
23 Mar: Alajuela, Costa Rica
LD Alajuelense (CRC) - Club America (MEX) 1:2
29 Mar: Mexico City, Mxico
Club America (MEX) - LD Alajuelense (CRC) 0:0
SF 2
22 Mar: Toluca, Mxico
CD Toluca (MEX) - Deportivo Saprissa (CRC) 2:0
29 Mar: San Jose, Costa Rica
Deportivo Saprissa (CRC) - CD Toluca (MEX) 3:2
Final Results
12 Apr: Toluca, Mxico
CD Toluca (MEX) - Club America (MEX)
19.Apr: Mexico City, Mexico
Club America (MEX) - CD Toluca (MEX)

Groups Set For 2006 CAC Games

The four three-team groups are set for
the Mens Under-21 Football Tournament
at the 2006 Central American &
Caribbean (CAC) Games following a
draw held at the offices of the CONCACAF General Secretariat in New York,
USA on Wednesday 17 May.
The 19th edition of the football tournament at the CAC
Games will be played from 15-29 July in two venues in
Colombia: Estadio Pedro de Heredia Cartagena that will
host Group A and Group C; Estadio Metropolitano Roberto
Melndez Barranquilla, hosting Groups B and D.
At the end of the first round on 20 July, the top two
teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals in
Barranquilla and Cartagena on 22 and 23 July.
Each venue will host a semifinal match on 26 July, with
the losers competing for the bronze medal three days later
on 29 July, at Cartagenas Estadio Pedro de Heredia. Later
that same day, the semifinal winners will play for the gold
medal championship.

0:0
2:1 aet

CHAMPIONS CUP FINAL

SCORES HIGH TV RATINGS
With a place in the FIFA Club
World Cup 2006 at stake, this years
two-legged final of the CONCACAF
Champions Cup between Mexican
rivals CD Toluca and Club Amrica
was already promising to be closely
watched affair in Mexico itself but
results recently in show that it was
also a hugely popular event on TV
north of the border, in the USA.
Televised in the USA by television
partner FOX on their Spanish sports
cable network Fox Sports en
Espaol, the broadcast of the
second leg of the final on 19 April,
was the second mostwatched Spanish
language broadcast in the USA
between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m.
(Eastern Time).

2006 CENTRAL AMERICAN & CARIBBEAN GAMES SCHEDULE

Mens Under-21 Tournament (Kick off times TBD)
Group A Estadio Pedro de Heredia; Cartagena
16.07.2006 COLOMBIA NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
18.07.2006 PANAMA NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
20.07.2006 COLOMBIA PANAMA
Group B Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Melndez; Barranquilla
15.07.2006 CUBA MEXICO
17.07.2006 VENEZUELA CUBA
19.07.2006 MEXICO VENEZUELA
Group C Estadio Pedro de Heredia; Cartagena
16.07.2006 HAITI JAMAICA
18.07.2006 COSTA RICA HAITI
20.07.2006 JAMAICA COSTA RICA
Group D Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Melndez; Barranquilla
15.07.2006 BARBADOS EL SALVADOR
17.07.2006 HONDURAS BARBADOS
19.07.2006 EL SALVADOR HONDURAS

CONCACAF NEWS - June 2006

FIFA Womens U-20

Groups Announced
Canada, Mexico and USA know their
first round opponents following the
draw for the FIFA U-20 Womens World
Championship in Russia 2006. The
tournament will take place from 17
August 3 September.
In all 16 teams will compete in the
tournament with two teams from each
group advancing to the knockout stage.

PAGE 3

CONCACAF Womens Gold Cup Update

Mexico progressed to the 2006 CONCACAF Womens Gold Cup after hosting
and winning the Central American Zone Group A First Round Qualification in
Mrida, Yucatn from 10-14 May.
Elsewhere, the Central American Group B games take place at the Estadio
Rommel Fernndez in Ciudad de Panam, Panama where Costa Rica, Guatemala
and the host will compete for one spot in games from 24-28 May.
In the Caribbean zone games, in May, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and
Trinidad & Tobago all advanced to the Caribbean Final Round which will take
place in September.
The Dominican Republic and Jamaica finished first in the Caribbean First
Round in Groups A and C respectively, while Trinidad & Tobago claimed the
Group D crown.
The three Caribbean sides will be joined by the winner of the playoff match
at the end of May, between Haiti and Group C first-place finisher, Surinam in
the CFU (Caribbean Football Union) Final Round.
The top two teams from the Caribbean Final Round, along with the winner of
the Central American Group B will join Canada, Mexico and the host USA in the
2006 CONCACAF Womens Gold Cup in November.
The six-team Womens Gold Cup, which will crown the CONCACAF champion, will also qualify two nations to the 2007 FIFA Womens World Cup in China.
The third-place finisher from the CONCACAF event will face an Asian team in a
home-and-away playoff for the final berth to the FIFA tournament.

Canada celebrates their qualification to the

FIFA U-20 Womens World Championship.
Photo by Christian Palma.

Group A
Russia
Brazil
New Zealand
Australia

Group B
China
Finland
Africa 1
Canada

Group C
Switzerland
Mexico
Korea DPR
Germany

Group D
Africa 2
USA
France
Argentina

The Dominican Republic (blue) eliminated Bermuda (white) to gain a spot in the Caribbean Final Round
qualification for the CONCACAF Womens Gold Cup 2006. Photo by Raul Calvo

2007 Pan Am Games Play In July

CONCACAF U-20, U-17 2007 Venues

The 2007 edition of the Pan American Games in

Brazil will have four CONCACAF teams competing in each of the following events: mens
under-22 football; womens football and futsal.
Four South American teams will join each competition that will consist of a total of eight teams. The
2007 Pan American Games will run from 13-29 July.
The mens U-22 competition will have Canada and
Mexico as the North Zone Representatives along with the
best team from each of the respective CAC (Central
American and Caribbean) Games qualification groups in the
Caribbean and Central American Zones.
The womens football event, which will be an open age
category, will consist of the following best teams coming
from the 2006 CONCACAF Womens Gold Cup:
North Zone 2; Caribbean 1; Central America 1.
Futsal will played at the Pan Am Games for the first
time and CONCACAFs four berths have been determined as
follows: Defending CONCACAF champion, USA; Cuba as the
Caribbean representative; and two teams coming from
North & Central American Qualification.

CONCACAF has announced the venues and format for

the 2007 Under-20 and U-17 Final Round Tournaments.
At the Under-20 level, Mexico and Panama will each
host a four-team CONCACAF Final Round Group with games
due to take place in January/February 2007. The top two
squads from each of these groups will qualify to the FIFA
World Youth Cup Canada 2007.
The six teams joining Mexico and Panama will consist of
the USA; three teams from Caribbean qualification (July
October 2006); two Central American Triangular winners
from Guatemala and Honduras in August.
Meanwhile, the 2007 U-17 Final Round will have
Honduras and Jamaica each staging a four-team group in
April. The top two teams from each group will progress
directly to the FIFA Under-17 World Cup Korea 2007. The
two third-place finishers from each of the Final Round
Group will meet in a two-game playoff for the final
Confederation berth in the FIFA event.
Along with Honduras and Jamaica, the final round will be
composed of Canada, Mexico & USA; one Caribbean qualifier (location TBD August 2006); and two squads from the
Central American event (location TBD October 2006).

PAGE 4

CONCACAF NEWS - June 2006

Around The
Confederation
LINFORD ELECTED CSA PRESIDENT
Colin Linford was elected as the
new president of the Canadian Soccer
Association (CSA) during the Annual
General Meeting held in Niagara Falls,
Ontario from 13-14 May.
Linford, who has been President of
the Ontario Soccer Association since
2002 and has been closely involved at
the Board/Executive Level in Ontario
for the last 16 years, succeeds Andy
Sharpe.
In another CSA election result,
Dominic Maestracci was elected to a
two-year team as Vice President.

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

CONCACAF NEWS

HONDURAS REFEREE SYMPOSIUM

The Federacin Nacional Autnoma
de Honduras hosted the first FIFA/CONCACAF Symposium for younger referees
(Project 2014) at the Villa Olimpica in
Tegucigalpa from 27-29 April.
Project 2014 helps referees not on
the FIFA International List, because of
their young age (under 28 years) and

who have no prior international experience, to prepare for major future

events, such as the FIFA World CupTM
2014.
A total of 37 Central American
Referees took part in the three-day
symposium which had CONCACAF
Referee Committee members: Costa
Ricas Ronald Gutirrez and Jose Carlos
Ortiz of El Salvador as instructors
alongside Amilcar Burgos of Honduras.
BAHAMAS STAGES COACHING COURSE
The Bahamas Football Association
(BFA) staged a National Coaching
Diploma Course in New Providence on
6 April.
Twenty-four coaches attended the
session that saw presentations from
BFA President Anton Sealey, General
Secretary Lionel Haven and the BFA
Technical Director Gary White.
The second session was held on 21
April at the BFA National Centre when
participants attended a Bahamas U-20
Team match and also took part in
Reading the Game and Match
Analysis exercises.

OLDEST US HALL OF FAMER DIES

Albert Harker, the last surviving member of the 1934 USA World Cup team
and oldest living inductee to the US
National Soccer Hall of Fame, passed
away in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania on 3
April.
Harker, who was 95, was on the USA
roster that defeated Mexico (4:2) in a
qualification match in Rome before the
start of the 1934 FIFA World Cup. The
stars & stripes went on to lose to the
eventual champions Italy in the first
round (7:1).
Harker was inducted into the US
National Soccer Hall of Fame in
Oneonta, New York in 1979.
EXTRAORDINARY CONGRESS IN
MUNICH
The XVI CONCACAF Extraordinary
Congress will be held at the Hilton Park
Munich in Munich, Germany on 5 June,
just days before the FIFA Congress and
the start of the 2006 World Cup.
This will be the first time that any
CONCACAF Congress has taken place
outside of the confederations own
borders.

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