The 5th U.S. Women's Cup will feature the host United States, Brazil, Russia,
and Mexico. The tournament begins on September 12 at Foxboro Stadium
in Boston where the USA will take on regional rival Mexico in
a match that precede the Major League Soccer game between the New England
Revolution and the Columbus Crew. the game will be televised tape delayed
on ESPN2 on Sept. 13 at 3 p.m. ET. Brazil will then face Russia on
September 15 in Oneonta, NY in a game that will be televised live on ESPN
at 3 p.m. ET. The match takes the place of the USA-New Zealand contest
that was abandoned due to lightning strikes and tornado warnings back
on June 2 in the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame Induction Game. The Brazil-Russia
match marks the first a U.S. Women's Cup game not featuring the USA will
be broadcast.
The next four matches of the tournament will be played in two doubleheaders.
On Sept. 18, Frontier Field in Rochester N.Y. will host Mexico vs Brazil
at 5:30 p.m. ET followed by USA vs Russia at 8 p.m. ET. The USA match
will be televised live on ESPN. U.S. Women's Cup '98 will finish at
the University of Richmond Stadium on Sept. 20 as Mexico faces
Russia at at 12:30 p.m. ET and the USA takes on Brazil at 3 p.m. ET in a
game televised live on ESPN2.
In a first for a U.S. Women's National Team game, Telemundo will also broadcast
the USA-Brazil match live in Spanish at 3 p.m. ET as well as tape-delayed
to the West Coast at 3 p.m. PT. In total , four of the six matches will be
on ESPN or ESPN2. ABC, ESPN,and ESPN2 will broadcast all matches of the 1999
FIFA Women's World Cup next summer.
"This U.S. Women's Cup is a perfect launching point for us as we gear up
for the intense preparation to win back the Women's World Cup," said U.S.
Head Coach Tony Di Ciccco. "The fact that ESPN is televising our three games
, and that we are having our first game broadcast in Spanish , is another
indication of the extent of the commitment of everyone to make the 1999 Women's
World Cup the biggest women's sporting event in history. We have been
playing some entertaining soccer this year and I'm sure the U.S. Women's
Cup will be a great preview of the next summer."
The USA has won the previous four U.S. Women's Cups, compiling a 12-0-0 record
against eight different nations. Brazil comes into the U.S. Women's
Cup '98 as the South American Champions, overwhelming the competition during
the Women's World Cup qualifying tournament last March . The USA has
a 5-1-1 record lifetime against Brazil, but lost the last meeting , 1-0,
in Sao Paulo in December of 1997, a game that signaled Brazil's rise into
the World's elite.
Russia is on the verge of qualifying for the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup
and by the kickoff of the NIKE U.S. Women's Cup '98, will know it's fate.
Currently tied atop European Qualifying group 4 with Denmark, Russia
faces the Danes on Aug. 222 in a crucial match. The group winner earns
a trip to the USA in '99 while the second -place finisher must playoff against
Finland for a spot in the Women's World Cup.
Mexico presents an interesting story. An emerging women's soccer nation,
Mexico attempted to qualify for both the 1991 and 1995 FIFA Women's World
Cups, but had poor showings while losing 12-0 and 9-0 to the USA in the CONCACAF
qualifying tournaments. This time around, Mexico will be bolstered
by up to held a dozen Mexican-American players who have strengthened the
side and made them a strong favorite to at least finish second in the
1998 CONCACAF Qualifying Tournament to be held Sept. 26-Aug. 6 in Toronto.
Host Canada is the favorite to win the CONCACAF tournament and earn a berth
to the 1999 Women's World Cup . However a second-place finish for Mexico
would earn them a chance to play South American runner-up Argentina in
a two-game home-and-home series to determine the Western Hemisphere's
last spot for USA '99.
Played in the summer during the first four tournaments, the NIKE U.S. Women's
Cup was moved to the Fall this year so as not to conflict with the 1998 World
Cup in France. Following is the schedule for the NIKE U.S. Women's
Cup '98;
NIKE U.S. Women's Cup '98
Schedule
Sept. 12 USA vs Mexico Foxboro Stadium/Boston,
Mass. 5:00 p.m. TAPE Sept 13/
ESPN2 at 3 p.m.
Sept. 15 Brazil vs Russia Elmore Field/
Hartwick College 3:00 p.m. LIVE-ESPN
Oneonta, N.Y.
Sept. 18 Mexico vs Brazil Frontier Field/ Rochester,
N.Y. 5:30 p.m.
Sept. 18 USA vs Russia Frontier Field/
Rochester. N.Y. 8:00 p.m. LIVE-ESPN
Sept. 20 Mexico vs. Russia University of Richmond/
Richmond,Va. 12:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 USA vs Brazil University
of Richmond/ Richmond,Va. 3:00 p.m. LIVE-ESPN2
* Double header with New England Revolution
** Also broadcast Tape-Delayed to the West Coast at 3 p.m. PT
NIKE
U.S. Women's Cup '98 Ticket Information
FOXBORO STADIUM/NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION, Boston, Mass.
Ticket Numbers: Toll Free at 800/946-7287 or TicketMaster at 617/931-2222
Ticket Prices: $55,$30,$20 and Groups of 20 or More are $10 (reg.$20) or
$15 (reg.$30)
HARTWICK COLLEGE, Oneonta, N.Y.
Ticket Number: 607/432-3351
Ticket Prices: $6 Advance, $8 Day of Game
FRONTIER FIELD, Rochester, N.Y.
Ticket Number: 716/454-KICK (716/454-5425)
Ticket Prices: $8-$20
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Richmond, Va.
Ticket Number: 804/289-8388
Ticket Prices: $8-$20
*SOURCE - U.S. SOCCER