1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)

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1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)
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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 Red card 52'
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
37'
39', 80'
Toata 89'		 (report) 82'
Sydney, Australia
Attendance: 253
Referee: Neil Fox (New Zealand)
Solomon Islands 2–6 Australia
Red card 44'
59'
Suri 65'
Red card 73'		 (report) Slater 15'
Arnold 17'
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
38' (report) 43'
A.Peli Red card 50'
Sydney, Australia
Referee: Bruce Edward Grimshaw (New Zealand)

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)
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)
Auckland, New Zealand
Referee: Eddie Lennie (Australia)
Fiji 3–1 Papua New Guinea
22'
26'
89'		 (report) 68'
Referee: Eddie Lennie (Australia)
New Zealand 5–0 Fiji
Rufer 17', 77'
Coveny 63'
Viljoen 80'
van Steeden 85'		 (report) Red card 51'
Auckland, New Zealand
Attendance: 12,033
Referee: Massimo Raveino (Tahiti)
Papua New Guinea 0–1 Fiji
(report) 1'
Referee: Pirom Anprasert (Thailand)

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
New Zealand 0–3 Australia
Jackson Red card 67' (report) Aloisi 18'
Vidmar 42'
Foster 67'
Attendance: 23,000
Australia 2–0 New Zealand
Zelić 6'
Arnold 54'		 (report)
Attendance: 14,045
Referee: Jamal Al Sharif (Syria)

Australia advanced to the AFC / OFC Intercontinental Play-off by the aggregate score of 5–0.

Inter-confederation play-off[]

Main article: 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC–OFC play-off)
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Iran  (a) 3–3  Australia 1–1 2–2


Goalscorers[]

7 goals
  • Solomon Islands
6 goals
5 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goals
1 own goal
  • Solomon Islands (playing against Australia)

External links[]

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