1998 Copa Merconorte

The 1998 Copa Merconorte was an association football tournament held in 1998. Atlético Nacional of Colombia beat Deportivo Cali also of Colombia in the final.

Copa Merconorte 1998
Tournament details
Dates15 September – 9 December 1998
Teams12 (from 5 associations)
Final positions
Champions Atlético Nacional (1st title)
Runners-up Deportivo Cali
Tournament statistics
Matches played75
Goals scored218 (2.91 per match)
Top scorer(s) Héctor Hurtado
Neider Morantes
Rafael Castellín
Héctor Ferri
Carlos Alberto Juárez
(4 goals each)

Originally, this tournament was to start on 1 September 1998 (the group stage lasting until 25 November), with 16 teams divided into 4 groups of 4. Those 16 teams included 3 Mexican teams, Club América, Cruz Azul and C.D. Guadalajara.

However, the Mexican Football Federation insisted on including Deportivo Toluca F.C. and Club Necaxa, the two finalists of the 1998 Summer season, instead of Club América and C.D. Guadalajara, who had been chosen for their popular support. No agreement could be reached, and on 20 August the Mexican teams withdrew. The organization then decided to remove the two teams from the USA (D.C. United and Los Angeles Galaxy) as well, include a fourth Colombian team (América de Cali) and play with 3 groups of 4.[1]

Group stage

Each team played the other teams in the group twice during the group stage. The three group winners and the best runner-up advanced to the second round.

Group A
Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
Millonarios 10631278-1
Emelec 9623196+3
América 7614169-3
Sporting Cristal 4604257-2

Group B
Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
Atlético Nacional 116321147+7
Alianza Lima 8622286+2
The Strongest 8622259-4
Barcelona 56123510-5

Group C
Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
Deportivo Cali 11632173+4
El Nacional 106312660
Caracas 7621368-2
Universitario 5612368-2

Ranking of second placed teams
Pos Grp Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 C El Nacional 6 3 1 2 6 6 0 10 Advance to knockout stage
2 A Emelec 6 2 3 1 9 6 +3 9
3 B Alianza Lima 6 2 2 2 8 6 +2 8
Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) points in all group matches; 2) total goal differential; 3) total goals scored; 4) lots drawn by CONMEBOL.

Semifinals

First Leg
El Nacional 1–2 Deportivo Cali
Chalá 61' Gaviria 31'
Bonilla 47'
Millonarios 0–2 Atlético Nacional
Zambrano 62'
Morantes 77'

Second Leg
Deportivo Cali 1–2 El Nacional
Escobar 69' Valencia 59'
Ferri 83'
Penalties
Zapata
Bedoya
Córdoba
Dudamel
Patiño
Mosquera 		5–4 Alvarado
Ordóñez
Ferri
Burbano
Arroyo
Carcelén
Atlético Nacional 1–2 Millonarios
Grisales 64' Toro 71'
Ramírez 81'
Atanasio Girardot, Medellín

Finals

First Leg
Atlético Nacional 3–1 Deportivo Cali
Vásquez 29', 73'
Perea 61'		 Zapata 49'
Atanasio Girardot, Medellín

Second Leg
Deportivo Cali 0–1 Atlético Nacional
Moranes 90'

Champion
Copa Merconorte
1998 Winners

Atlético Nacional
First Title
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References
  1. Andrés, Juan Pablo; Ballesteros, Frank (17 November 2000). "Copa Merconorte 1998". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
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