1998 Copa Libertadores group stage

The 1998 Copa Libertadores group stage was played from 25 February to 9 April 1998. A total of 20 teams competed in the group stage to decide 15 places in the final stages of the 1998 Copa Libertadores, where they joined defending champions Cruzeiro.

Groups composition

Same as previous editions, the 20 participating teams were divided into 5 groups of 4, which consisted of two teams from one association and two teams from another. The paired associations for this edition were as follows:

However, after the agreement reached between the Venezuelan Football Federation (FVF) and Mexican promoters close to the Mexican Football Federation (FMF), the two places corresponding to the FVF were put at stake in a previous tournament, called Pre-Libertadores, between the two Venezuelan teams that had previously qualified for this edition and two Mexican teams designated by the FMF.[1] Mexican sides Guadalajara and Club América overcame Venezuelan sides Caracas and Atlético Zulia to qualify for group 2.[2]

Format

In the group stage, each group was played on a home-and-away round-robin basis. The teams were ranked according to the following criteria: 1. Points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss); 2. Goal difference; 3. Goals scored.

The winners, runners-up and third placed teams of each group advanced to the round of 16 of the final stages.

Schedule

The match schedule of the group stage was announced by CONMEBOL on 12 December 1997.[3]

Weeks Dates Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5
Week 1 25 February 1998 COL1 v COL2, ECU1 v ECU2 — PAR1 v PAR2, CHI2 v CHI1 BOL1 v BOL2, URU1 v URU2 —
Week 2 3, 4 and 6 March 1998 ECU2 v COL2, ECU1 v COL2 MEX2 v MEX1, BRA2 v BRA1 PAR2 v CHI1, PAR1 v CHI1 BOL2 v URU1, BOL1 v URU1 ARG2 v ARG1, PER1 v PER2
Week 3 10–13 March 1998 ECU2 v COL1, ECU1 v COL1 MEX2 v BRA2, MEX1 v BRA2 PAR2 v CHI2, PAR1 v CHI2 BOL2 v URU2, BOL1 v URU2 ARG2 v PER2, PER1 v ARG1
Week 4 17–20 March 1998 COL2 v COL1, ECU2 v ECU1 MEX2 v BRA1, MEX1 v BRA1 PAR2 v PAR1, CHI1 v CHI2 URU2 v URU1, BOL2 v BOL1 ARG2 v PER1, PER2 v ARG1
Week 5 24–27 March 1998 COL2 v ECU2, COL1 v ECU2 BRA1 v BRA2, MEX1 v MEX2 CHI2 v PAR2, CHI1 v PAR2 URU2 v BOL2, URU1 v BOL2 ARG1 v ARG2, PER2 v PER1
Week 6 31 March – 3 April 1998 COL2 v ECU1, COL1 v ECU1 BRA2 v MEX2, BRA1 v MEX2 CHI2 v PAR1, CHI1 v PAR1 URU2 v BOL1, URU1 v BOL1 PER1 v ARG2, ARG1 v PER2
Week 7 7–9 April 1998 — BRA2 v MEX1, BRA1 v MEX1 — — PER2 v ARG2, ARG1 v PER1

Groups

Group 1

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification AME BSC BUC SDQ
1 Colombia América de Cali 6 3 2 1 10 5 +5 11 Round of 16 — 3–0 2–2 2–1
2 Ecuador Barcelona 6 2 3 1 5 3 +2 9 1–0 — 2–0 0–0
3 Colombia Atlético Bucaramanga 6 2 1 3 5 6 −1 7 0–1 2–0 — 2–0
4 Ecuador Deportivo Quito 6 1 2 3 3 9 −6 5 0–4 1–1 1–0 —
Source: [citation needed]
América de Cali Colombia2–2Colombia Atlético Bucaramanga
Moreno 27'
Pérez 44'		 Report Restrepo 67'
Galarcio 89'
Attendance: 40,789
Deportivo Quito Ecuador1–0Colombia Atlético Bucaramanga
Soria 54' (pen.) Report
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Juan Luna (Bolivia)
Barcelona Ecuador2–0Colombia Atlético Bucaramanga
Arias 11'
Asencio 44'		 Report
Attendance: 20,000
Deportivo Quito Ecuador0–4Colombia América de Cali
Report Ortegón 5'
González 29'
Pérez 34', 80'
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: José Arana (Peru)
Barcelona Ecuador1–0Colombia América de Cali
Asprilla 4' (o.g.) Report
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: Alberto Tejada (Peru)
Deportivo Quito Ecuador1–1Ecuador Barcelona
Burbano 27' Report Delgado 70'
Attendance: 20,000
Atlético Bucaramanga Colombia0–1Colombia América de Cali
Report Cardona 48'
Attendance: 6,000
Atlético Bucaramanga Colombia2–0Ecuador Deportivo Quito
Restrepo 66'
España 85'		 Report
Attendance: 4,000
América de Cali Colombia2–1Ecuador Deportivo Quito
Hurtado 65'
Castillo 88'		 Report Lell 85'
Attendance: 7,500

Group 2

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification GRE VAS AME GUA
1 Brazil Grêmio 6 4 0 2 6 5 +1 12 Round of 16 — 1–0 1–0 2–0
2 Brazil Vasco da Gama 6 2 2 2 7 4 +3 8 3–0 — 1–1 2–0
3 Mexico América 6 2 2 2 6 5 +1 8 1–2 1–1 — 2–0
4 Mexico Guadalajara 6 2 0 4 2 7 −5 6 1–0 1–0 0–1 —
Source: [citation needed]
Guadalajara Mexico0–1Mexico América
Report García Aspe 63' (pen.)
Attendance: 40,000
Grêmio Brazil1–0Brazil Vasco da Gama
Guilherme 62' Report
Attendance: 50,032
Guadalajara Mexico1–0Brazil Grêmio
Arellano 67' Report
Attendance: 30,000
América Mexico1–2Brazil Grêmio
Zárate 28' Report Guilherme 15'
Beto 69'
Attendance: 15,000
Guadalajara Mexico1–0Brazil Vasco da Gama
Ramírez 45' Report
Attendance: 25,000
América Mexico1–1Brazil Vasco da Gama
Cedrés 2' Report Menezes 6'
Attendance: 10,000
América Mexico2–0Mexico Guadalajara
Peláez 4'
Cedrés 55'		 Report
Attendance: 85,000
Vasco da Gama Brazil3–0Brazil Grêmio
Luizão 33', 42'
Donizete 55'		 Report
Attendance: 15,520
Grêmio Brazil2–0Mexico Guadalajara
Ronaldinho 46'
Beto 56'		 Report
Attendance: 18,587
Vasco da Gama Brazil2–0Mexico Guadalajara
Luizão 68', 80' Report
Attendance: 9,701
Grêmio Brazil1–0Mexico América
Dário 67' Report
Attendance: 13,880
Vasco da Gama Brazil1–1Mexico América
Richardson 71' Report García Aspe 10'
Attendance: 627

Group 3

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification OLI C-C CCP UCA
1 Paraguay Olimpia 6 4 1 1 14 6 +8 13 Round of 16 — 1–1 5–1 2–0
2 Chile Colo-Colo 6 2 1 3 8 10 −2 7 1–3 — 1–2 3–2
3 Paraguay Cerro Porteño 6 2 1 3 6 9 −3 7 1–2 2–0 — 0–0
4 Chile Universidad Católica 6 2 1 3 5 8 −3 7 2–1 0–2 1–0 —
Source: [citation needed]
Olimpia Paraguay5–1Paraguay Cerro Porteño
Monzón 30'
Caballero 41'
González 69'
Avalos 71'
Valdez 87'		 Report Ovelar 83'
Attendance: 15,000
Colo-Colo Chile3–2Chile Universidad Católica
Neira 4', 65'
Espina 83'		 Report Bisconti 18'
Goldberg 68'
Attendance: 19,499
Referee: Guido Aros (Chile)
Cerro Porteño Paraguay0–0Chile Universidad Católica
Report
Attendance: 10,000
Olimpia Paraguay2–0Chile Universidad Católica
Valdez 44'
Zelaya 54'		 Report
Attendance: 20,000
Cerro Porteño Paraguay2–0Chile Colo-Colo
Ovelar 83'
Gavilán 90'		 Report
Attendance: 5,000
Olimpia Paraguay1–1Chile Colo-Colo
González 12' Report Vergara 76'
Attendance: 15,000
Cerro Porteño Paraguay1–2Paraguay Olimpia
Ovelar 37' (pen.) Report Paredes 57'
Monzón 73'
Attendance: 20,000
Universidad Católica Chile0–2Chile Colo-Colo
Report Tapia 19', 28'
Attendance: 18,000
Universidad Católica Chile1–0Paraguay Cerro Porteño
Moya 83' Report
Attendance: 6,000
Colo-Colo Chile1–2Paraguay Cerro Porteño
Tapia 35' Report Fernández 9'
Ovelar 69'
Attendance: 9,496
Universidad Católica Chile2–1Paraguay Olimpia
Pérez 45'
Bisconti 60'		 Report Monzón 62'
Attendance: 9,000
Colo-Colo Chile1–3Paraguay Olimpia
Vergara 71' Report Zelaya 2'
Monzón 8'
Franco 90'
Attendance: 7,000

Group 4

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification BOL PEÑ NAC OPE
1 Bolivia Bolívar 6 4 1 1 9 7 +2 13 Round of 16 — 2–0 1–0 3–2
2 Uruguay Peñarol 6 3 1 2 12 5 +7 10 0–1 — 2–1 6–1
3 Uruguay Nacional 6 2 0 4 11 12 −1 6 4–1 1–4 — 4–1
4 Bolivia Oriente Petrolero 6 1 2 3 7 15 −8 5 1–1 0–0 2–1 —
Source: [citation needed]
Bolívar Bolivia3–2Bolivia Oriente Petrolero
Sérgio João 6', 78'
Cristaldo 71'		 Report Rentera 27'
Peña 55'
Attendance: 20,000
Peñarol Uruguay2–1Uruguay Nacional
Bengoechea 39'
González 75'		 Report Ramírez 63'
Attendance: 22,000
Bolívar Bolivia1–0Uruguay Peñarol
Sérgio João 70' Report
Attendance: 40,000
Bolívar Bolivia2–0Uruguay Nacional
Sérgio João 16', 78' Report
Attendance: 32,000
Referee: Jaime Toro (Chile)
Nacional Uruguay1–4Uruguay Peñarol
Lemos 42' Report Romero 8'
Pandiani 22', 73'
Herrera 51'
Attendance: 28,000
Nacional Uruguay4–1Bolivia Oriente Petrolero
Delgado 2'
Álvez 39'
Regueiro 68'
Núñez 78'		 Report Néne 35'
Attendance: 15,000
Peñarol Uruguay6–1Bolivia Oriente Petrolero
Franco 4', 58', 60', 83'
Pacheco 27'
García 44'		 Report Edú Monteiro 14'
Attendance: 6,000
Peñarol Uruguay0–1Bolivia Bolívar
Report Sandy 8'
Attendance: 15,000
Nacional Uruguay4–1Bolivia Bolívar
Núñez 12', 40'
Regueiro 47', 86'		 Report Sérgio João 30'
Attendance: 23,000

Group 5

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification RIV ALI COL SCR
1 Argentina River Plate 6 5 1 0 15 6 +9 16 Round of 16 — 2–0 4–1 3–1
2 Peru Alianza Lima 6 2 1 3 5 7 −2 7 1–1 — 1–0 1–0
3 Argentina Colón 6 2 1 3 5 8 −3 7 1–2 1–0 — 1–0
4 Peru Sporting Cristal 6 1 1 4 7 11 −4 4 2–3 3–2 1–1 —
Source: [citation needed]
Alianza Lima Peru1–0Peru Sporting Cristal
Sáenz 44' Report
Attendance: 25,000
Colón Argentina1–2Argentina River Plate
Sorín 90' (o.g.) Report Ayala 25'
Escudero 54'
Attendance: 32,000
Colón Argentina1–0Peru Sporting Cristal
Agoglia 90' Report
Attendance: 22,000
Referee: Luis Peña (Chile)
Alianza Lima Peru1–1Argentina River Plate
Sáenz 57' Report Ángel 62'
Attendance: 42,500
Colón Argentina1–0Peru Alianza Lima
Sandoval 79' Report
Attendance: 24,000
Sporting Cristal Peru2–3Argentina River Plate
Ferreira 38'
Mendoza 72'		 Report Ángel 44', 75'
Escudero 53'
Attendance: 14,000
Sporting Cristal Peru3–2Peru Alianza Lima
Nilson 29'
Mendoza 35', 56'		 Report Jayo 32'
Bazalar 43'
Attendance: 7,216
River Plate Argentina4–1Argentina Colón
Ángel 5', 71'
Cardetti 56', 81'		 Report Saralegui 22'
Attendance: 18,000
Alianza Lima Peru1–0Argentina Colón
Bazalar 68' Report
Attendance: 19,441
River Plate Argentina3–1Peru Sporting Cristal
Gallardo 9'
Rambert 54'
Cardetti 85'		 Report Nilson 25'
Attendance: 11,000
Sporting Cristal Peru1–1Argentina Colón
Soto 85' Report Sandoval 72'
River Plate Argentina2–0Peru Alianza Lima
Aimar 50'
Figueroa 59'		 Report
Attendance: 3,000

References

  1. ^ "Revista CONMEBOL N° 52" (PDF) (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  2. ^ Minniti, Javier. "Recuento histórico de la Liguilla entre Venezuela y México" [Liguilla history between Venezuela and Mexico] (in Spanish). University of the Andes. Archived from the original on 10 December 2004. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  3. ^ "Revista CONMEBOL N° 51" (PDF) (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. Retrieved 14 March 2023.