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.
A total of 10 teams entered the competition. The Oceanian zone was allocated 0.5 places (out of 32) in the final tournament.
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 6 teams were divided into 2 groups of 3 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 would advance to the Second Round. The runner-up of the Melanesian Group and the winner of the Polynesian Group would advance to the First Round Play-off. In the Play-off, they played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The winner would advance to the Second Round.
- Second Round: The 6 teams were divided into 2 groups of 3 teams each. The teams played against each other twice. The group winners would advance to the Final Round.
- Final Round: The 2 teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The winner would advance to the AFC / OFC Intercontinental Play-off.
First round[]
Melanesian Group[]
Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Papua New Guinea | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
2 | Solomon Islands | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
3 | Vanuatu | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 1 |
Papua New Guinea | 1–1 | Solomon Islands |
---|---|---|
15' | (report) | 71' |
Solomon Islands | 1–1 | Vanuatu |
---|---|---|
16' | (Report) | 37' |
Papua New Guinea | 2–1 | Vanuatu |
---|---|---|
88' 89' |
(report) | 27' |
Papua New Guinea advanced to the Second Round. Solomon Islands advanced to the First Round Play-off.
Polynesian Group[]
Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tonga | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
2 | Western Samoa | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
3 | Cook Islands | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 0 |
Tonga | 2–0 | Cook Islands |
---|---|---|
Moleni 20', 67' | (report) |
Western Samoa | 2–1 | Cook Islands |
---|---|---|
Tapunuu 10' 20' |
(report) | 68' |
Tonga | 1–0 | Western Samoa |
---|---|---|
29' | (report) |
Tonga advanced to the First Round Play-off.
Play-off[]
Tonga | 0–4 | Solomon Islands |
---|---|---|
(report) | Kiriau 34' 73' 85' 87' |
Solomon Islands | 9–0 | Tonga |
---|---|---|
3', 41', 57' 12' 37' 61', 63', 74' Kiriau 66' |
(report) |
Solomon Islands advanced to the Second Round by the aggregate score of 13–0.
Second round[]
Group 1[]
Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Australia | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 2 | 24 | 12 |
2 | Solomon Islands | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 21 | -14 | 4 |
3 | Tahiti | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 12 | -10 | 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) | S.Daudau 52' |
Solomon Islands | 4–1 | Tahiti |
---|---|---|
37' 39', 80' Toata 89' |
(report) | 82' |
Solomon Islands | 2–6 | Australia |
---|---|---|
44' 59' Suri 65' 73' |
(report) | Slater 15' Arnold 17' 38' (o.g.) Tapai 47', 51' Vidmar 75' (pen.) |
Tahiti | 1–1 | Solomon Islands |
---|---|---|
38' | (report) | 43' A.Peli 50' |
Australia advanced to the Final Round.
Group 2[]
Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | New Zealand | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 12 | 9 |
2 | Fiji | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | -3 | 6 |
3 | Papua New Guinea | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 11 | -9 | 3 |
Papua New Guinea | 1–0 | New Zealand |
---|---|---|
Niakuam 80' | (report) |
Fiji | 0–1 | New Zealand |
---|---|---|
(report) | Jackson 80' (pen.) |
New Zealand | 7–0 | Papua New Guinea |
---|---|---|
Coveny 10', 13', 67' Rufer 22', 31' Elliott 40' Stevens 80' |
(report) |
Fiji | 3–1 | Papua New Guinea |
---|---|---|
22' 26' 89' |
(report) | 68' |
New Zealand | 5–0 | Fiji |
---|---|---|
Rufer 17', 77' Coveny 63' Viljoen 80' van Steeden 85' |
(report) | 51' |
Papua New Guinea | 0–1 | Fiji |
---|---|---|
(report) | 1' |
New Zealand advanced to the Final Round.
Final round[]
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
New Zealand | 0-5 | Australia | 0-3 | 0-2 |
Australia | 2–0 | New Zealand |
---|---|---|
Zelić 6' Arnold 54' |
(report) |
Australia advanced to the AFC / OFC Intercontinental Play-off by the aggregate score of 5–0.
Inter-confederation play-off[]
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Iran | (a) 3–3 | Australia | 1–1 | 2–2 |
Goalscorers[]
- 7 goals
- 6 goals
- 5 goals
- 4 goals
- 3 goals
- 2 goals
- Craig Foster
- Harry Kewell
- Ned Zelic
- George Kiriau
- Timote Moleni
- 1 goals
- 1 own goal
External links[]
- 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)
- 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
- FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)
- 1996–97 in OFC football