The 1997 CONCACAF Champions' Cup was the 33rd edition of the annual international club football competition, the CONCACAF Champions' Cup. It determined that year's club champion of the CONCACAF region (North America, Central America and the Caribbean).
The teams were split into three zones (North, Central and Caribbean). The North American zone qualified three teams direct into the quarterfinals and two teams played a play-off for the fourth spot in the quarterfinals. The Central American zone played a regional tournament to get three spots in the quarterfinal. The winner of the Caribbean zone got a place in the quarterfinals.
1997 was the first year that teams from Major League Soccer took part in the Champions' Cup. The competitors in the MLS Cup, both winner and runner-up, were each given berths in the tournament.
All but two of the eight games played in the final tournament were played in Washington, D.C.. The final was won by Cruz Azul, who captured their fifth Champions' Cup title with a 5–3 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy.Copa de Campeones 1997 on the RSSSF"Copa de la Campeones de la Concacaf 1997" on Reino Azul (blogsite), October 20, 2014 At the time, Mexican goalkeeper Jorge Campos was signed to the Galaxy and Cruz Azul. The Galaxy were the first American club to reach the final of a Champions Cup or League.
Preliminary Regional playoffs North American Zone
Los Angeles Galaxy advance to the quarterfinal.
Central American Zone Preliminary round
First round
Second round
Comunicaciones, Luis Ángel Firpo and Cartaginés advance to the quarterfinal. Cartaginés vs Alajuelense played in one leg in San José.
Caribbean Zone
CFU Club Championship final
United Petrotrin advance to the quarterfinal
Quarterfinal Qualified teams North American zone Major League Soccer: D.C. United – 1996 MLS Cup winner Los Angeles Galaxy – preliminary round winner (1996 MLS Cup runner-up) Primera División de México: Guadalajara – 1997 Verano winner Cruz Azul – 1996 CONCACAF Champions Cup title holder
Central American zone Central American Qualifiers: C.S. Cartaginés – Second Round Series winner C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo – Second Round Series winner CSD Comunicaciones – Second Round Series winner
Caribbean zone Caribbean Football Union (CFU): United Petrotrin – 1997 CFU Club Championship winner
Bracket
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Third place match
Third place was shared.
Final
GK 9 Jorge Campos DF 20 Paul Caligiuri DF 2 Danny Pena DF 4 Robin Fraser DF 18 Greg Vanney MF 14 Chris Armas MF 5 Martín Machón MF 6 Dan Calichman MF 10 Mauricio Cienfuegos FW 13 Cobi Jones FW 29 Eduardo HurtadoSubstitutions: FW 8 Jose Botello GK Kevin Hartman DF Ezra Hendrickson Manager: Octavio Zambrano
GK 1 Óscar Pérez DF 18 Johan Rodríguez DF 23 Moisés González DF 4 Juan Reynoso DF 2 Guadalupe Castañeda MF 10 Héctor Adomaitis MF 13 Carlos Barra MF 19 Ómar Rodríguez MF 7 Benjamín Galindo FW 15 Francisco Palencia FW 27 Carlos HermosilloSubstitutes: MF Agustín Morales FW Julio C. Yegros MF Héctor Altamirano Manager: Luis Fernando Tena
Champion CONCACAF Champions' Cup1997 WinnersCruz AzulFifth title
References