In 2011, CONCACAF celebrates its 50th anniversary.
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Through "This Week in CONCACAF History" you can revisit the region's most memorable people, events and crowning achievements.
May 22-31
May 22, 1985:Goals by Guillermo Ortiz (16th), Jose Castillo (24th) and Ramon Raya (54th) led host Mexico to a 3-0 victory over Canada in the opening day of the 1985 CONCACAF Under-16 (now U-17) Final Round Group held in Mexico City's Estadio Azulgrana … Afterwards, the Tricolores defeated Honduras (6-0) on May 24 and then held second-place finisher Costa Rica to a 1-1 draw two days later to capture their first CONCACAF U-16 title with five points (2-0-1 record) ahead of the Ticos on goal difference (+9 to +3) … Costa Rica and Mexico would join the 1983 CONCACAF U-16 champion USA as the Confederation's qualifiers for the inaugural FIFA U-16 World Cup China 1985.May 23, 1991: Russell Latapy and Leonson Lewis each scored twice, while Paul Allen, Dexter Skeene and Anton Thomas added a goal apiece in Trinidad & Tobago's 7-0 victory over the Dominican Republic in Group B of the 1991 Shell Caribbean Cup (now Digicel Caribbean Cup) at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica … The Soca Warriors went on to win the group (2-0-1, 4 points) by edging out runner-up St. Lucia on goal difference (+7 to +1) … Trinidad & Tobago then topped Guyana (3-1) in the semifinals seven days later to reach the finals, only to lose 2-0 to the host the following month.
May 24, 1934: A qualifying match took place days before the start of a FIFA World Cup, for the first time in history, as the USA defeated Mexico 4-2 for the last berth to the field of 16 teams in Italy 1934 … After submitting its application late, FIFA ordered the Stars & Stripes to face the Tricolor, who had eliminated Cuba from North American qualifying, in a playoff match at the Stadio Nazionale de PNF in Rome, Italy … Aldo Donelli was the offense for the USA scoring four times in the victory, which was also the first time a player had four goals in a qualifying match in the North American region …Donelli would also score against Italy three days later, however, the Stars & Stripes were eliminated by the host, 7-1, in the opening round of the FIFA World Cup.
May 25, 1924: The USA defeated Estonia, 1-0, in the First Round of the Men's Olympic Football Tournament at Stade Pershing in Paris, France … Andrew Stradan had the only goal via a penalty kick in the 15th minute … However, the Stars & Stripes' run ended four days later at Paris' Stade Bergeyre losing 3-0 to the eventual gold medalist Uruguay in Second Round.
May 26, 1968: Juan Ramon Martinez scored twice to lead El Salvador to a 2-1 victory over host Trinidad & Tobago in the second-leg played in Port of Spain to claim the Series 1 of the CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Final Round 4:1 on aggregate … The Cuscatlecos also secured their first appearance at the Men's Olympic Football Tournament (Mexico City 1968) along with the Guatemala and the host.
May 27, 1979: CRKSV Jong Colombia of Netherlands Antilles (now Curacao) opened the Caribbean Zone qualifying for the 1979 CONCACAF Champions' Cup with 2-0 win over visiting Santos FC of Jamaica in the first-leg held in Willemstad … After taking the second-leg by the same score in Kingston the following month, Jong Colombia then eliminated SV Leo Victor of Surinam and Trinidad & Tobago's Defence Force to reach the Champions' Cup Final, where it lost to CD F.A.S. of El Salvador later in the year.
May 28, 2008: For the second time in history, a CONCACAF Congress was held outside of the confederation's own borders as the 17th Extraordinary Congress took place in Sydney, Australia … The first time a Congress was held outside the CONCACAF region was the 2006 CONCACAF Extraordinary Congress, which was held in Munich, Germany.
May 29, 1983: After coming off a 6-0 loss to host Mexico in the opening-leg of the 1984 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying First Round Series B earlier in the month, the Bahamas held the four-time Olympic Football Tournament qualifier to a scoreless draw in the return match at Nassau's Thomas Robinson Stadium … These were the first international matches for the Rake n' Scrape Boyz since the 1971 Pan American Games … Despite the draw, the Tricolor progressed to the next round, however, were it was eliminated by Canada in a playoff match later in the year.
May 30, 1993: Martinique captured its first Copa Caribe (now Digicel Caribbean Cup) by defeating host Jamaica 6:5 on penalties after a scoreless draw in the 1993 Final at Kingston's National Stadium … Les Matinino reached the championship match after topping St. Kitts & Nevis in semifinals also on penalties, 4:3, two days earlier … Martinique opened the Caribbean tournament winning the Group B crown held in Montego Bay with a perfect 3-0-0 record (6 points) with victories over St. Lucia (2-0), St. Vincent & Grenadines (3-0) and the defending champion Trinidad & Tobago (3-2).
May 31, 1970: For the first time the FIFA World Cup was held in the CONCACAF region as a crowd of 107,160 witnessed host Mexico inaugurate the 1970 tournament with a scoreless draw against the U.S.S.R. at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca … It was the seventh time a CONCACAF team played on the opening day of the FIFA World Cup … Also, Keith Dunstan of Bermuda became the first CONCACAF Assistant Referee at FIFA World Cup opening game.
For more information or general inquiries concerning historical content, please contact Steven Torres, CONCACAF Director of Information Services at steve.torres@concacaf.org.
