1994 CONCACAF Women's Championship

1994 CONCACAF Women's Championship
Name	1994 CONCACAF Women's Championship
Other titles	1994 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup
Country	Canada
Dates	13–21 August
Champion	USA
Second	CAN
Third	MEX
Fourth	TRI
Goals	23
Top scorer	USA Carin Jennings-Gabarra (6 goals)
Player	USA Carin Jennings-Gabarra
Prevseason	1991
Nextseason	1998

1994 CONCACAF Women's Championship. The 1994 CONCACAF Women's Championship was the second official edition of the regional championship organized by the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football for women's national teams. Serving as the qualification tournament for the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup, the event was held in Montreal, Canada from 13 to 21 August 1994. The United States won the tournament, defeating the host nation Canada in the final to secure the sole direct berth to the World Cup in Sweden.

Background

The tournament was organized by CONCACAF following the success of the inaugural 1991 CONCACAF Women's Championship, which had also doubled as a qualifier for the first 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup. The 1994 edition was crucial as it provided the only direct qualification spot from the region for the upcoming 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup, with a potential playoff spot also available. The competition was part of a growing wave of development for women's soccer globally, spurred by the establishment of the FIFA Women's World Cup. The event was hosted by the Canadian Soccer Association in Montreal, a major city in the province of Quebec.

Qualification

Qualification was determined through regional tournaments within the CONCACAF zones. The Caribbean Football Union held a qualifying group, which was won by Trinidad and Tobago. The North American Football Union zone provided two automatic qualifiers: the United States and the host nation, Canada. The Central American Football Union zone held its qualification tournament, which was won by Mexico. These four teams advanced to the final tournament in Montreal.

Venues

All matches of the tournament were held at a single venue, the Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard in Montreal. This multi-purpose stadium, with a capacity of approximately 5,000 for soccer, was the main site for the 1994 CONCACAF Women's Championship. The Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard had previously hosted events during the 1976 Summer Olympics and was a familiar site for soccer in Quebec.

Squads

Each of the four participating nations named a final squad of players for the tournament. The United States, coached by Tony DiCicco, featured stars like Michelle Akers, Julie Foudy, and Mia Hamm. The host Canada, led by coach Sylvie Béliveau, included key players such as Silvana Burtini and Geri Donnelly. Mexico was managed by Leonardo Cuéllar, while Trinidad and Tobago was coached by Everald Cummings.

Group stage

The tournament featured a single round-robin group stage with all four teams. The United States dominated the group, winning all three of their matches. They opened with a 6–0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago, followed by a 9–0 win against Mexico, and concluded with a 4–1 win over Canada. Canada finished second, defeating both Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago. Mexico secured third place with a win over Trinidad and Tobago, who finished fourth.

Knockout stage

With only four teams, the tournament format designated the top two finishers from the group stage to contest the final. The third and fourth-placed teams did not play a separate match for third place; final standings were determined by group results. Therefore, the United States and Canada advanced to the championship match. The final was held on 21 August 1994 at the Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard.

Results and statistics

The United States defeated Canada 5–0 in the final, with Carin Jennings-Gabarra scoring a hat-trick. Mia Hamm and Kristine Lilly also scored in the decisive victory. The top scorer of the tournament was Carin Jennings-Gabarra of the United States with six goals. The United States qualified directly for the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup, while Canada entered a playoff against Argentina, which they won to also secure a place in Sweden.

Category:CONCACAF Women's Championship Category:1994 in women's association football Category:1994 in Canadian soccer Category:August 1994 sports events