1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)

Listed below are the dates and results for the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the Oceanian zone (OFC). For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification.

1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)
Tournament details
Dates16 September 1996 – 29 November 1997
Teams10 (from 1 confederation)
Tournament statistics
Matches played22
Goals scored85 (3.86 per match)
Attendance99,533 (4,524 per match)
Top scorer(s)Solomon Islands Noel Berry
(7 goals)
1994
2002

A total of 10 teams entered the competition. The Oceanian zone was allocated 0.5 places (out of 32) in the final tournament.

Format

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There would be three rounds of play:

  • First round: Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tahiti, the four best ranked teams according to FIFA, received byes and advanced to the second round directly. The remaining six teams were divided into two groups of three teams each, namely the Melanesian group and the Polynesian group, based on geographical considerations. The teams played against each other once. The winner of the Melanesian group advanced to the second round. The runner-up of the Melanesian group and the winner of the Polynesian group advanced to the first round play-off. In the play-off, they played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The winner advanced to the second round.
  • Second round: The six teams were divided into two groups of three teams each. The teams played against each other twice. The group winners advanced to the final round.
  • Final round: The two teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The winner advanced to the AFC–OFC inter-confederation play-off.

First round

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Melanesian group

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification      
1   Papua New Guinea 2 1 1 0 3 2 +1 4 Second round 1–1 2–1
2   Solomon Islands 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 2 Play-off 1–1
3   Vanuatu 2 0 1 1 2 3 −1 1
Source: [1]
Papua New Guinea  1–1  Solomon Islands
Daniel   15' Report Rukumana   71'
Attendance: 4,500
Referee: Eugene Brazzale (Australia)

Solomon Islands  1–1  Vanuatu
Berry   16' Report Naukoot   37'
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Massimo Raveino (Tahiti)

Papua New Guinea  2–1  Vanuatu
Furigi   88'
Karang   89'
Report Garo   27'
Attendance: 7,500
Referee: Eugene Brazzale (Australia)

Polynesian group

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification      
1   Tonga 2 2 0 0 3 0 +3 6 Play-off 1–0 2–0
2   Western Samoa 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 3 2–1
3   Cook Islands 2 0 0 2 1 4 −3 0
Source: [1]
Tonga  2–0  Cook Islands
Moleni   20', 67' Report
Attendance: 500
Referee: Shameem Khan (Fiji)

Western Samoa  2–1  Cook Islands
Tapunuu   10'
Palusami   20'
Report Stenter   68'
Attendance: 400
Referee: Neil Fox (New Zealand)

Tonga  1–0  Western Samoa
Vane   29' Report
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Derek Rugg (New Zealand)

Play-off

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Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Tonga   0–13   Solomon Islands 0–4 0–9
Tonga  0–4  Solomon Islands
Report Kiriau   34'
Seni   73'
Berry   85'
Peli   87'
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Derek Rugg (New Zealand)

Solomon Islands  9–0  Tonga
Berry   3', 41', 57'
Rukumana   12'
Wabo   37'
Seni   61', 63', 74'
Kiriau  66'
Report
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Massimo Raveino (Tahiti)

Solomon Islands won 13–0 on aggregate and advanced to the second round.

Second round

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Group 1

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification      
1   Australia 4 4 0 0 26 2 +24 12 Final round 13–0 5–0
2   Solomon Islands 4 1 1 2 7 21 −14 4 2–6 4–1
3   Tahiti 4 0 1 3 2 12 −10 1 0–2 1–1
Source: [1]
Australia  13–0  Solomon Islands
Mori   2', 15', 36', 65', 80'
Aloisi   33', 53', 81', 86', 87'
Foster   68'
Tapai   78'
Bosnich   88' (pen.)
Report
Sydney, Australia
Attendance: 3,127
Referee: Bruce Edward Grimshaw (New Zealand)

Australia  5–0  Tahiti
Vidmar   14'
Trimboli   37', 42'
Arnold   47'
Bingley   66'
Report
Sydney, Australia
Attendance: 2,869
Referee: Brian Geoffery Precious (New Zealand)

Solomon Islands  4–1  Tahiti
Seni   37'
Berry   39', 80'
Toata   89'
Report Ludivion   82'
Sydney, Australia
Attendance: 253
Referee: Neil Fox (New Zealand)

Solomon Islands  2–6  Australia
Peli   59'
Suri   65'
Report Slater   15'
Arnold   17'
Kaierea   38' (o.g.)
Tapai   47', 51'
Vidmar   75' (pen.)
Sydney, Australia
Attendance: 2,122
Referee: Brian Geoffery Precious (New Zealand)

Tahiti  0–2  Australia
Report Zelic   8'
Trimboli   86'
Sydney, Australia
Attendance: 2,918
Referee: Bruce Edward Grimshaw (New Zealand)

Tahiti  1–1  Solomon Islands
Rousseau   38' Report Kwaomae   43'
Sydney, Australia
Attendance: 266
Referee: Bruce Edward Grimshaw (New Zealand)

Group 2

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification      
1   New Zealand 4 3 0 1 13 1 +12 9 Final round 5–0 7–0
2   Fiji 4 2 0 2 4 7 −3 6 0–1 3–1
3   Papua New Guinea 4 1 0 3 2 11 −9 3 1–0 0–1
Source: [1]
Papua New Guinea  1–0  New Zealand
Niakuam   80' Report
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Nik Ahmad Haji Yaakub (Malaysia)

Fiji  0–1  New Zealand
Report Jackson   80' (pen.)
Attendance: 5,500
Referee: Eugene Brazzale (Australia)

New Zealand  7–0  Papua New Guinea
Coveny   10', 13', 67'
Rufer   22', 31'
Elliott   40'
Stevens   80'
Report
Attendance: 2,000

Fiji  3–1  Papua New Guinea
Pita   22'
Masinisau   26'
Duguga   89'
(report) Waiwai   68'
Attendance: 1,500

New Zealand  5–0  Fiji
Rufer   17', 77'
Coveny   63'
Viljoen   80'
van Steeden   85'
Report
Attendance: 12,033
Referee: Massimo Raveino (Tahiti)

Papua New Guinea  0–1  Fiji
(report) Driu   1'
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Pirom Anprasert (Thailand)

Final round

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Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
New Zealand   0–5   Australia 0–3 0–2
New Zealand  0–3  Australia
Report Aloisi   18'
Vidmar   42'
Foster   67'
Attendance: 23,000
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
New Zealand
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Australia

Australia  2–0  New Zealand
Zelić   6'
Arnold   54'
Report
Attendance: 14,045
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Australia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
New Zealand

Australia won 5–0 on aggregate and advanced to the AFC–OFC inter-confederation play-off.

Inter-confederation play-off

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Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Iran   3–3 (a)   Australia 1–1 2–2

Goalscorers

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There were 85 goals scored in 22 matches, for an average of 3.86 goals per match.

7 goals

6 goals

5 goals

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC) 1998, football - table and standings". soccer365.me. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
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