{{Infobox international football competition | tourney_name = Copa Merconorte | yearr = 1998 | image = | size = <!-- in pixels; just enter an integer--> | alt = | caption = | dates = 15 September – 9 December 1998 | num_teams = 12 | associations = 5 | champion_other = {{flagicon|COL}} Atlético Nacional | count = 1 | second_other = {{flagicon|COL}} Deportivo Cali | matches = 75 | goals = 218 | top_scorer = {{flagicon|COL}} Héctor Hurtado<br>{{flagicon|COL}} Neider Morantes<br>{{flagicon|VEN|1954}} Rafael Castellín<br>{{flagicon|ECU}} Héctor Ferri<br>{{flagicon|ARG}} Carlos Alberto Juárez<br>(4 goals each) | prevseason = | nextseason = 1999 | updated = }} thumb | right | alt=Copa Merconorte logo | Copa Merconorte logo The '''1998 Copa Merconorte''' was the 1st edition of association football tournament Copa Merconorte held in 1998. Atlético Nacional of Colombia beat Deportivo Cali also of Colombia in the final.
Originally, this tournament was to start on 1 September 1998 (the group stage lasting until 25 November), with 16 teams divided into 4 groups of 4. Those 16 teams included 3 Mexican teams, América, Cruz Azul and Guadalajara.
However, the Mexican Football Federation insisted on including Toluca and Necaxa, the two finalists of the 1998 Summer season, instead of América and Guadalajara, who had been chosen for their popular support. No agreement could be reached, and on 20 August the Mexican teams withdrew. The organization then decided to remove the two teams from the USA (D.C. United and Los Angeles Galaxy) as well, include a fourth Colombian team (América de Cali) and play with 3 groups of 4.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Andrés|first1=Juan Pablo|last2=Ballesteros|first2=Frank|title=Copa Merconorte 1998|url=https://www.rsssf.org/sacups/merconorte98.html|website=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|accessdate=7 October 2017|date=17 November 2000}}</ref>
==Participants== {| class="wikitable" |- !width=125|Country !width=150|Team |- |rowspan="1"|{{BOL}}<br /><small>(1 berth)</small> |The Strongest |- |rowspan="4"|{{COL}}<br /><small>(4 berths)</small> |América de Cali |- |Atlético Nacional |- |Deportivo Cali |- |Millonarios |- |rowspan="3"|{{ECU}}<br /><small>(3 berths)</small> |Barcelona |- |El Nacional |- | Emelec |- |rowspan="3"|{{PER}}<br /><small>(3 berths)</small> |Alianza Lima |- |Sporting Cristal |- | Universitario |- |rowspan="1"|{{VEN}}<br /><small>(1 berth)</small> |Caracas |- |}
==Group stage== According to the original draw in march of 1998, these are the groups of competition:
Group A: Sporting Cristal, Emelec, Deportivo Cali and Guadalajara
Group B: América, Universitario, El Nacional and Atlético Nacional
Group C: Alianza Lima, Barcelona, Millonarios and D.C. United
Group D: The Strongest, Caracas, Cruz Azul and Los Angeles Galaxy
Each team played the other teams in the group twice during the group stage. The three group winners and the best runner-up advanced to the second round.
===Group A=== {{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL |show_matches=true|matches_style=FBR |section=Group A |res_col_header=Q |show_positions= |ptsfirst=y
|team1=MIL|name_MIL={{flagicon|Colombia}} Millonarios |team2=EME|name_EME={{flagicon|Ecuador}} Emelec |team3=AME|name_AME={{flagicon|COL}} América de Cali |team4=CRI|name_CRI={{flagicon|PER}} Sporting Cristal
|win_MIL=3|draw_MIL=1|loss_MIL=2|gf_MIL=7|ga_MIL=8 |win_EME=2|draw_EME=3|loss_EME=1|gf_EME=9|ga_EME=6 |win_AME=1|draw_AME=4|loss_AME=1|gf_AME=9|ga_AME=9 |win_CRI=0|draw_CRI=4|loss_CRI=2|gf_CRI=5|ga_CRI=7
|col_A=#CCFFCC|text_A=Advance to Semifinals |result1=A |update=complete|source=
<!--Matches--> |match_AME_EME=2–2 |match_AME_MIL=2–1 |match_AME_CRI=1–1
|match_EME_AME=1–0 |match_EME_MIL=3–0 |match_EME_CRI=1–1
|match_MIL_AME=2–2 |match_MIL_EME=2–1 |match_MIL_CRI=1–0
|match_CRI_AME=2–2 |match_CRI_EME=1–1 |match_CRI_MIL=0–1 }}
===Group B=== {{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL |show_matches=true|matches_style=FBR |section=Group B |res_col_header=Q |show_positions= |ptsfirst=y
|team1=ATL|name_ATL={{flagicon|Colombia}} Atlético Nacional |team2=ALI|name_ALI={{flagicon|PER}} Alianza Lima |team3=STR|name_STR={{flagicon|BOL}} The Strongest |team4=BAR|name_BAR={{flagicon|ECU}} Barcelona
|win_ATL=3|draw_ATL=2|loss_ATL=1|gf_ATL=14|ga_ATL=7 |win_ALI=2|draw_ALI=2|loss_ALI=2|gf_ALI=8|ga_ALI=6 |win_STR=2|draw_STR=2|loss_STR=2|gf_STR=5|ga_STR=9 |win_BAR=1|draw_BAR=2|loss_BAR=3|gf_BAR=5|ga_BAR=10
|col_A=#CCFFCC|text_A=Advance to Semifinals |result1=A |update=complete|source= <!--Matches--> |match_ALI_ATL=1–1 |match_ALI_BAR=2–0 |match_ALI_STR=4–0
|match_ATL_ALI=3–1 |match_ATL_BAR=4–0 |match_ATL_STR=2–3
|match_BAR_ALI=2–0 |match_BAR_ATL=2–2 |match_BAR_STR=1–1
|match_STR_ALI=0–0 |match_STR_ATL=0–2 |match_STR_BAR=1–0
}}
===Group C=== {{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL |show_matches=true|matches_style=FBR |section=Group C |res_col_header=Q |show_positions= |ptsfirst=y
|team1=CAL|name_CAL={{flagicon|Colombia}} Deportivo Cali |team2=NAC|name_NAC={{flagicon|ECU}} El Nacional |team3=CAR|name_CAR={{flagicon|VEN}} Caracas |team4=UNI|name_UNI={{flagicon|PER}} Universitario
|win_CAL=3|draw_CAL=2|loss_CAL=1|gf_CAL=7|ga_CAL=3 |win_NAC=3|draw_NAC=1|loss_NAC=2|gf_NAC=6|ga_NAC=6 |win_CAR=2|draw_CAR=1|loss_CAR=3|gf_CAR=6|ga_CAR=8 |win_UNI=1|draw_UNI=2|loss_UNI=3|gf_UNI=6|ga_UNI=8
|col_A=#CCFFCC|text_A=Advance to Semifinals |result1=A |result2=A |update=complete|source=
<!--Matches--> |match_CAR_CAL=0–2 |match_CAR_NAC=1–0 |match_CAR_UNI=0–2
|match_CAL_CAR=1–1 |match_CAL_NAC=2–0 |match_CAL_UNI=2–1
|match_NAC_CAR=2–1 |match_NAC_CAL=1–0 |match_NAC_UNI=1–1
|match_UNI_CAR=1–3 |match_UNI_CAL=0–0 |match_UNI_NAC=1–2
}}
=== Ranking of second placed teams === {{#invoke:Sports table|main|style=football |update=complete |source=[https://www.rsssf.org/sacups/merconorte98.html RSSSF] |teamwidth=200 |show_groups=T |team1=2C |team2=2A |team3=2B |result1=KO |win_2A=2 |draw_2A=3 |loss_2A=1 |gf_2A=9 |ga_2A=6 |group_2A='''A''' |win_2B=2 |draw_2B=2 |loss_2B=2 |gf_2B=8 |ga_2B=6 |group_2B='''B''' |win_2C=3 |draw_2C=1 |loss_2C=2 |gf_2C=6 |ga_2C=6 |group_2C='''C''' |name_2A={{flagicon|ECU}} Emelec |name_2B={{flagicon|PER}} Alianza Lima |name_2C={{flagicon|ECU}} El Nacional
|res_col_header=Q |col_KO=#CCFFCC |text_KO=Advance to Semifinals |class_rules=1) points in all group matches; 2) total goal differential; 3) total goals scored; 4) lots drawn by CONMEBOL. }}
==Semifinals==
===First leg=== {{football box |date = November 19 |team1 = El Nacional {{flagicon|Ecuador}} |goals1 = Chalá 61' |score = 1–2 |report= |team2 = {{flagicon|Colombia}} Deportivo Cali |goals2 = Gaviria 31'<br>Bonilla 47' |stadium = Olímpico Atahualpa, Quito}} ---- {{football box |date = November 19 |team1 = Millonarios {{flagicon|Colombia}} |goals1 = |score = 0–2 |report= |team2 = {{flagicon|Colombia}} Atlético Nacional |goals2 = Zambrano 62'<br>Morantes 77' |stadium = El Campín, Bogotá}}
===Second leg=== {{football box |date = November 26 |team1 = Deportivo Cali {{flagicon|Colombia}} |goals1 = Escobar 69' |score = 1–2 |report= |team2 = {{flagicon|Ecuador}} El Nacional |goals2 = Valencia 59'<br>Ferri 83' |stadium = Olímpico Pascual Guerrero, Cali | penalties1 = Zapata {{pengoal}} <br />Bedoya {{pengoal}} <br />Córdoba {{pengoal}}<br />Dudamel {{pengoal}} <br />Patiño {{penmiss}}<br />Mosquera {{pengoal}} | penaltyscore = 5–4 | penalties2 = {{pengoal}} Alvarado <br /> {{pengoal}} Ordóñez<br /> {{pengoal}} Ferri<br /> {{penmiss}} Burbano <br /> {{pengoal}} Arroyo<br /> {{penmiss}} Carcelén }} ---- {{football box |date = November 26 |team1 = Atlético Nacional {{flagicon|Colombia}} |goals1 = Grisales 64' |score = 1–2 |report= |team2 = {{flagicon|Colombia}} Millonarios |goals2 = Toro 71'<br>Ramírez 81' |stadium = Atanasio Girardot, Medellín }}
==Finals==
===First leg=== {{football box |date = December 3 |team1 = Atlético Nacional {{flagicon|Colombia}} |goals1 = Vásquez 29', 73'<br>Perea 61' |score = 3–1 |report= |team2 = {{flagicon|Colombia}} Deportivo Cali |goals2 = Zapata 49' |stadium = Atanasio Girardot, Medellín}}
===Second leg=== {{football box |date = December 9 |team1 = Deportivo Cali {{flagicon|Colombia}} |goals1 = |score = 0–1 |report= |team2 = {{flagicon|Colombia}} Atlético Nacional |goals2 = Moranes 90' |stadium = Olímpico Pascual Guerrero, Cali }}
==Champion== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; margin: 0 auto;" |- !Copa Merconorte <br />1998 Winners |- |{{flagicon|COL|size=100px}}<br />'''Atlético Nacional'''<br/>'''First Title''' |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.conmebol.com/competiciones_evento_partidos.jsp?evento=1092&ano=1998&slangab=S 1998 Copa Merconorte game summaries] * [http://www.conmebol.com/competiciones_evento_estadisticas.jsp?evento=1092&ano=1998&slangab=S 1998 Copa Merconorte stats]
{{CONMEBOL tertiary tournaments}}
Category:Copa Merconorte 3