1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup

The 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the first edition of the Gold Cup, the soccer championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF), and the eleventh overall CONCACAF tournament. The last time the CONCACAF Championship was held was 1971, from that point on the first-place finishers of World Cup qualifying were considered continental champions.^[1][2]

1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup

CONCACAF Championship
1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup official programme
Tournament details
Host country	United States
Dates	June 28 – July 7
Teams	8 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)	2 (in 2 host cities)
Final positions
Champions	United States (1st title)
Runners-up	Honduras
Third place	Mexico
Fourth place	Costa Rica
Tournament statistics
Matches played	16
Goals scored	50 (3.13 per match)
Attendance	397,124 (24,820 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Benjamín Galindo (4 goals)
Best player(s)	Tony Meola
← 1989 (Championship) 1993 →

The tournament was hosted by the United States and played in the Greater Los Angeles area of California at two venues: the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the Rose Bowl. The eight teams were broken up into two groups of four; the top two teams of each group would advance to the semifinals. The Gold Cup was won by the United States, who eliminated Mexico in the semi-finals match, and went on to beat Honduras on penalties after tying them in the final 0–0.

Qualified teams

Team	Qualification	Appearances	Previous best performance
Qualified through the 1989 CONCACAF Championship
Costa Rica	Winners	1st	Debut
North American zone
United States	Automatic	1st	Debut
Mexico	Automatic	1st	Debut
Canada	Automatic	1st	Debut
Caribbean zone qualified through the 1991 Caribbean Cup
Jamaica	Winners	1st	Debut
Trinidad and Tobago	Runners-up	1st	Debut
Central American zone qualified through the 1991 UNCAF Nations Cup
Honduras	Runners-up	1st	Debut
Guatemala	Third Place	1st	Debut

Venues

Los Angeles	Pasadena
Memorial Coliseum	Rose Bowl
Capacity: 93,607	Capacity: 92,542
Pasadena Los Angeles

Squads

Main article: 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup squads

The 8 national teams involved in the tournament were required to register a squad of 18 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	Honduras	3	2	1	0	10	3	+7	5	Advance to knockout stage
2	Mexico	3	2	1	0	8	3	+5	5
3	Canada	3	1	0	2	6	9	−3	2
4	Jamaica	3	0	0	3	3	12	−9	0

Source: RSSSF

June 28, 1991

Canada	2–4	Honduras
Mitchell 66', 80'	Report	Bennett 28' (pen.) Espinoza 34' Cálix 41' Flores 51'

Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles

Attendance: 13,374

Referee: Arturo Angeles (United States)

June 28, 1991

Mexico	4–1	Jamaica
Galindo 28', 54' (pen.) Zague 36' Hermosillo 58'	Report	Reid 39'

Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles

Attendance: 13,374

Referee: Arlington Success (Antigua and Barbuda)

Team details

Mexico Jamaica GK 1 Pablo Larios RB 2 Juan Hernández CB 4 Roberto Ruiz Esparza CB 14 Felix Cruz LB 5 Héctor Esparza RM 8 José Manuel de la Torre CM 6 Carlos Muñoz (c) CM 11 Gonzalo Farfán LM 10 Benjamín Galindo RF 27 Carlos Hermosillo  80' LF 17 Luís Roberto Alves  80' Substitutes: CB 3 Efraín Herrera GK 12 Adrián Chávez FW 13 Paul Moreno LM 15 Missael Espinoza  80' CM 16 Jorge Dávalos LB 18 Guillermo Muñoz RF 19 Luis García  80' Manager: Manuel Lapuente GK 1 Clive Smith DF 2 Barrington Gaynor DF 5 Donovan Panton  52' DF 6 Desmond Smith  44' DF 7 Anthony Corbett MF 10 Hugh Blair MF 11 Winston Anglin MF 15 Hector Wright MF 16 Wayne Palmer MF 12 Roderick Reid  82' FW 9 Paul Davis Substitutes: DF 3 Richard Davis DF 4 Linval Dixon  44' MF 8 Leroy Foster FW 13 Caple Donaldson MF 14 Monteque Long  82' FW 17 Walter Boyd GK 20 Kristopher DaCosta Manager: Carl Brown

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June 30, 1991

Jamaica	0–5	Honduras
	Report	Cálix 27', 51' Anariba 31' Bennett 69' Yearwood 89'

Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles

Attendance: 45,797

Referee: Errol Forbes (Trinidad and Tobago)

June 30, 1991

Canada	1–3	Mexico
Lowery 83'	Report	Hermosillo 3' de la Torre 40' Galindo 89' (pen.)

Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles

Attendance: 45,797

Referee: Ronald Gutiérrez (Costa Rica)

Team details

Canada Mexico GK 1 Craig Forrest DF 2 Frank Yallop DF 3 Colin Miller DF 5 Randy Samuel  69' DF 6 Ian Bridge  7' MF 7 Carl Valentine MF 8 Jamie Lowery  88' FW 9 Dale Mitchell FW 10 John Catliff FW 12 Nick Gilbert MF 13 Scott Munson  46' Substitutes: MF 4 John Limniatis MF 11 Joseph Majcher DF 14 Mark Watson  53'  7' DF 15 Patrick Diotte  88' MF 16 Peter Gilfillan DF 17 Carl Fletcher GK 18 Carlo Marini GK 20 Paul Dolan Manager: Tony Waiters GK 12 Adrián Chávez RB 2 Juan Hernández CB 4 Roberto Ruiz Esparza CB 14 Felix Cruz  14' LB 18 Guillermo Muñoz RM 8 José Manuel de la Torre  83' CM 16 Jorge Dávalos CM 11 Gonzalo Farfán  60' LM 10 Benjamín Galindo RF 27 Carlos Hermosillo LF 17 Luís Roberto Alves Substitutes: GK 1 Pablo Larios CB 3 Efraín Herrera LB 5 Héctor Esparza CM 6 Carlos Muñoz  83' (c) LF 13 Paul Moreno LM 15 Missael Espinoza  60' RF 19 Luis García Manager: Manuel Lapuente

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July 2, 1991

Jamaica	2–3	Canada
Wright 42' Reid 63'	Report	Mitchell 34' Miller 54' Limniatis 60'

Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles

Attendance: 36,703

Referee: José Carlos Ortíz (El Salvador)

July 2, 1991

Mexico	1–1	Honduras
Hermosillo 57'	Report	Anariba 9'

Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles

Attendance: 36,703

Referee: Jay Majid (United States)

Team details

Mexico Honduras GK 12 Adrián Chávez RB 3 Efraín Herrera CB 4 Roberto Ruiz Esparza CB 5 Héctor Esparza LB 18 Guillermo Muñoz RM 15 Missael Espinoza CM 6 Carlos Muñoz (c) LM 16 Jorge Dávalos  57' RF 27 Carlos Hermosillo CF 19 Luis García LF 13 Paul Moreno  46' Substitutes: GK 1 Pablo Larios RB 2 Juan Hernández RM 8 José Manuel de la Torre  57' LM 10 Benjamín Galindo CM 11 Gonzalo Farfán CB 14 Felix Cruz LF 17 Luís Roberto Alves  46' Manager: Manuel Lapuente GK 1 Belarmino Rivera DF 4 Juan Castro DF 5 Raúl Sambulá  46' DF 6 Mauricio Fúnez DF 18 Daniel Zapata DF 21 Marco Anariba  61' MF 12 Tomás Róchez  77' MF 2 Gilberto Yearwood FW 10 Luis Cálix FW 7 Eugenio Dolmo Flores FW 19 Eduardo Bennett Substitutes: MF 8 Juan Espinoza MF 9 Luis Vallejo FW 11 Alex Ávila  46' DF 14 Arnold Cruz MF 15 Camilo Bonilla MF 16 Nahamán González  77' GK 25 Wilmer Cruz Manager: Flavio Ortega

Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	United States (H)	3	3	0	0	8	3	+5	6	Advance to knockout stage
2	Costa Rica	3	1	0	2	5	5	0	2
3	Trinidad and Tobago	3	1	0	2	3	4	−1	2
4	Guatemala	3	1	0	2	1	5	−4	2

Source: RSSSF
(H) Hosts

June 29, 1991

Costa Rica	2–0	Guatemala
R. Gómez 14' Flores 17'	Report

Rose Bowl, Pasadena

Attendance: 18,435

Referee: Mike Siefert (Canada)

June 29, 1991

United States	2–1	Trinidad and Tobago
Murray 85' Balboa 87'	Report	Lewis 67'

Rose Bowl, Pasadena

Attendance: 18,435

Referee: José Carlos Ortíz (El Salvador)

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July 1, 1991

Trinidad and Tobago	2–1	Costa Rica
Lewis 38' Thomas 89'	Report	Medford 6'

Rose Bowl, Pasadena

Attendance: 6,344

Referee: José Antonio Garza (Mexico)

July 1, 1991

Guatemala	0–3	United States
	Report	Murray 11' Quinn 46' Wynalda 52'

Rose Bowl, Pasadena

Attendance: 6,344

Referee: Arlington Success (Antigua and Barbuda)

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July 3, 1991

Trinidad and Tobago	0–1	Guatemala
	Report	Espel 89'

Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles

Attendance: 36,703

Referee: José Fuentes (Honduras)

July 3, 1991

United States	3–2	Costa Rica
Vermes 6' Pérez 49' (pen.) Marchena 59' (o.g.)	Report	Arguedas 30' Jara 33'

Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles

Attendance: 36,703

Referee: Arturo Brizio Carter (Mexico)

Knockout stage

Main article: 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup knockout stage

In the knockout stage, if a match is level at the end of normal playing time, extra time is played (two periods of 15 minutes each), with each team being allowed to make a sixth substitution. If still tied after extra time, the match is decided by a penalty shoot-out.^[3]

Bracket

	Semi-finals				Final
	July 5 — Los Angeles
	Honduras	2
					July 7 — Los Angeles
	Costa Rica	0
					United States (p)	0 (4)
	July 5 — Los Angeles
					Honduras	0 (3)
	United States	2
	Mexico	0
					Third place play-off
					July 7 — Los Angeles
					Mexico	2
					Costa Rica	0

Semi-finals

July 5, 1991 (1991-07-05)

Honduras	2–0	Costa Rica
Bennett 37' Flores 79'	Report

Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles

Attendance: 41,103

Referee: Arturo Angeles (United States)

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July 5, 1991 (1991-07-05)

United States	2–0	Mexico
Doyle 48' Vermes 64'	Report

Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles

Attendance: 41,103

Referee: José Carlos Ortiz (El Salvador)

Team details

United States Mexico GK 1 Tony Meola DF 16 John Doyle  73' DF 17 Marcelo Balboa DF 21 Fernando Clavijo  83' MF 20 Paul Caligiuri  12' MF 14 Brian Quinn MF 19 Chris Henderson MF 7 Hugo Perez FW 4 Bruce Murray FW 10 Peter Vermes (c) FW 11 Eric Wynalda  71' Substitutes: DF 2 Steve Trittschuh DF 3 Janusz Michallik MF 5 Ted Eck  71' DF 8 Dominic Kinnear DF 15 Desmond Armstrong  83' GK 18 Mark Dodd DF 22 Bruce Savage Manager: Velibor Milutinovic GK 1 Pablo Larios RB 2 Juan Hernández CB 3 Efraín Herrera CB 4 Roberto Ruiz Esparza LB 5 Héctor Esparza RM 8 José Manuel de la Torre  57' CM 6 Carlos Muñoz (c) CM 11 Gonzalo Farfán LM 10 Benjamín Galindo  83' RF 27 Carlos Hermosillo LF 17 Luís Roberto Alves Substitutes: GK 12 Adrián Chávez LF 13 Paul Moreno CB 14 Felix Cruz LM 15 Missael Espinoza  57' RM 16 Jorge Dávalos LB 18 Guillermo Muñoz RF 19 Luis García  83' Manager: Manuel Lapuente

Third place play-off

July 7, 1991 (1991-07-07)

Mexico	2–0	Costa Rica
Farfán 9' Galindo 89'	Report

Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles

Attendance: 39,873

Referee: Errol Forbes (Trinidad and Tobago)

Team details

Mexico Costa Rica GK 12 Adrián Chávez RB 2 Juan Hernández CB 3 Efraín Herrera CB 14 Felix Cruz LB 5 Héctor Esparza RM 15 Missael Espinoza CM 6 Carlos Muñoz (c)  74' CM 11 Gonzalo Farfán LM 10 Benjamín Galindo RF 27 Carlos Hermosillo LF 17 Luís Roberto Alves Substitutes: GK 1 Pablo Larios CB 4 Roberto Ruiz Esparza RM 8 José Manuel de la Torre LF 13 Paul Moreno RM 16 Jorge Dávalos  74' LB 18 Guillermo Muñoz RF 19 Luis García Manager: Luis Fernando Tena GK 1 Luis Gabelo Conejo DF 2 Vladimir Quesada  19' DF 3 Róger Flores (c) DF 4 Rónald González  31' DF 13 Ricardo Chacón DF 6 Héctor Marchena MF 12 Austin Berry MF 10 Óscar Ramírez  57' MF 16 Floyd Guthrie MF 17 Juan Carlos Arguedas FW 9 Hernán Medford Substitutes: MF 5 Róger Gómez FW 7 Claudio Jara  57' MF 8 Carlos Velásquez  19' FW 11 Leonidas Flores FW 14 Norman Gómez DF 15 Edwin Salazar GK 18 Pedro Cubillo DF 20 Mauricio Montero Manager: Rolando Villalobos

Final

Main article: 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final

July 7, 1991 (1991-07-07)

Honduras	0–0 (a.e.t.)	United States
	Report
Penalties
Castro Anariba Yearwood Flores Zapata Cálix Vallejo Espinoza	3–4	Balboa Vermes Pérez Caligiuri Eck Quinn Kinnear Clavijo

Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles

Attendance: 39,873

Referee: Arturo Brizio Carter (Mexico)

1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup winners
United States First title

Statistics

Goalscorers

4 goals

• Benjamín Galindo

3 goals

• Dale Mitchell
• Eduardo Bennett
• Luis Calix
• Carlos Hermosillo

2 goals

• Marco Antonio Anariba
• Eugenio Dolmo Flores
• Roderick Reid
• Leonson Lewis
• Bruce Murray
• Peter Vermes

1 goal

• John Limniatis
• Jamie Lowery
• Colin Miller
• Juan Carlos Arguedas
• Leonidas Flores
• Róger Gómez
• Claudio Jara
• Hernán Medford
• Luis Espel
• Juan Carlos Espinoza
• Gilberto Yearwood
• Hector Wright
• Luís Roberto Alves
• Gonzalo Farfán
• José Manuel de la Torre
• Alvin Thomas
• Marcelo Balboa
• John Doyle
• Hugo Pérez
• Brian Quinn
• Eric Wynalda

1 own goal

• Héctor Marchena (playing against the United States)

Awards

Source: ^[4]

Golden Ball	Golden Boot
Tony Meola	Benjamín Galindo

Team of the Tournament

Best XI by Soccer America^[5]

Goalkeeper	Defenders	Midfielders	Forwards
Tony Meola	Marco Anariba Raúl Martínez Sambulá John Doyle Fernando Clavijo	Hugo Pérez Gilberto Yearwood Brian Quinn	Eduardo Bennett Hernán Medford Luis Cálix