1996 U.S. Cup

The 1996 U.S. Cup was a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) organized tournament held in June 1996. USSF had hosted the annual U.S. Cup since 1992, except for the World Cup years of 1994 and 1998. The 1996 U.S. Cup included the host United States, Mexico, Bolivia and Ireland. Staged as a six game, round robin tournament, the team with the best win-loss record took the title. Bolivia was playing its first while both Ireland and Mexico were playing their second. This year Mexico would emerge as the winner a feat it would repeat in 1997 and 1999.

June 8: Mexico vs Bolivia

footballbox | date = June 8, 1996

team1 = fb-rt|MEX |score = 1–0|report= (Report)|team2 = fb|BOL |goals1 = Garcia 80’ |goals2 = |stadium = Cotton Bowl Attendance: 25,187 Referee: Hall (USA)

June 9: USA vs Ireland

footballbox | date = June 8, 1996

team1 = fb-rt|USA |score = 2–1|report= (Report)|team2 = fb|IRL |goals1 = Ramos 58’ Reyna 76’ |goals2 = Connolly 57’ |stadium = Foxboro Stadium Attendance: 25,332 Referee: Prendergast (Jamaica)

United States: Brad Friedel, Mike Burns, Marcelo Balboa, Thomas Dooley, Alexi Lalas, Jeff Agoos, John Harkes, Claudio Reyna (Jovan Kirovski 77’), Tab Ramos (Roy Lassiter 77’), Cobi Jones, Eric Wynalda (Paul Caligiuri 88’)

Ireland: Shay Given, Kenna (Fleming 40’), Terry Phelan, Kenny Cunningham, Alan Kernaghan, Gary Breen, Alan McLoughlin, Farrelly (Kennedy 61’), O'Brien (K. O'Neill 87’), Niall Quinn (Savage 87’), David Connolly

June 12: Mexico vs Ireland

In a game marked by physical soccer, Mexico and Ireland played to a 2-2 tie in East Rutherford’s Giants Stadium. Mexico opened the scoring when Luis Garcia shot on frame in the 40th minute. Four minutes later, David Connolly, just beginning his national team career, evened the score. Five minutes later, Ireland went up on a Mexico own goal off Davino. However, Ireland would have two men sent off, Daish and Niall Quinn, as well as their manager Mick McCarthy and Luis Garcia would convert a 70th minute penalty to end the game at 2-2. The automatic one game suspension of McCarthy was overturned on appeal.

footballbox | date = June 12, 1996

team1 = fb-rt|MEX |score = 2–2|report= (Report)|team2 = fb|IRL |goals1 = Garcia 40’ Garcia 70’ |goals2 = Connolly 44' O.G. 49’ |stadium = Giants Stadium Attendance: 21,322 Referee: Dominguez (USA)

Mexico: Oswaldo Sánchez, Claudio Suárez, Duilio Davino, Joaquín del Olmo, Germán Villa, Raúl Lara, Sol, Rafael Garcia (Cuauhtémoc Blanco 54’), Enrique Alfaro, Luis García Postigo, Francisco Palencia (José Manuel Abundis 45’)

Ireland: Packie Bonner, Fleming, Gary Breen, Daish, Ian Harte, Kennedy (Terry Phelan 73’), Savage, Alan McLoughlin, Moore, O'Neill, David Connolly

June 12: USA vs Bolivia

footballbox | date = June 12, 1996

team1 = fb-rt|USA |score = 0–2|report= (Report)|team2 = fb|BOL |goals1 = |goals2 = Moreno 2' Coimbra 88’ |stadium = RFK Stadium Attendance: 19,350 Referee: Bucci (Canada)

United States: Brad Friedel, Mike Burns, Jeff Agoos (Roy Lassiter 78’), Marcelo Balboa, Alexi Lalas, John Harkes, Cobi Jones, Claudio Reyna, Tab Ramos, Eric Wynalda, Jovan Kirovski (Thomas Dooley 59’)

Bolivia: Barrero, Juan Manuel Peña, Óscar Sánchez, Miguel Rimba, Marco Sandy, Julio César Baldivieso, Mauricio Ramos, Cossio, Marco Etcheverry (Paniagua 46’), Jaime Moreno (Ramiro Castilloo 46’), Milton Coimbra

June 15: Ireland vs Bolivia

footballbox | date = June 15, 1999

team1 = fb-rt|IRL |score = 3–0|report= (Report)|team2 = fb|BOL |goals1 = O’Neill 12’ O’Neill 33’ Harte 45’ |goals2 = |stadium = Giants Stadium Attendance: 14,624 Referee: Baharmast (USA)

15/06/1996 East Rutherford Attendance: 14,624 Ireland 3-0 Bolivia (HT 3-0)Scorers: O'Neill 12' (1-0), O'Neill 33' (2-0), Ian Harte 45' (3-0)

Ireland: Shay Given (Packie Bonner 85’), Fleming, Kenny Cunningham, Alan Kernaghan (Gary Breen 35’), Ian Harte, Terry Phelan, Savage, O'Brien (Alan McLoughlin 45’), Farrelly (Kennedy 65’), O'Neill, Moore

Bolivia: Soria, Juan Manuel Peña, Óscar Sánchez, Miguel Rimba, Ramiro Castillo, Julio César Baldivieso, Marco Etcheverry, Mauricio Ramos (Luis Cristaldo 41’), Cossio, Marco Sandy, Jaime Moreno (Milton Coimbra 46’)

June 16: USA vs Mexico

In the last game of the 1996 U.S. Cup, the USA and Mexico, now under former U.S. coach Bora Milutinovic battled to a 2-2 tie. The high tempo game went back and forth as the teams traded goals in both halves. The U.S. got on the board first with an Eric Wynalda shot in the 34th minute, but Mexico answered as the first half came to a close with a Garcia goal in the 45th minute. The game remained 1-1 until Cuauhtémoc Blanco scored what appeared to be the winning goal in the 89th minute, but Mexico relaxed too soon and Thomas Dooley answered a minute later to keep the game even at the end. With the tie, Mexico took first in the standings and its first of three consecutive U.S. Cup titles.footballbox | date = June 16, 1996

team1 = fb-rt|USA |score = 2–2|report= (Report)|team2 = fb|MEX |goals1 = Wynalda 34’ Dooley 90’ |goals2 = R. Garcia 45' Blanco 89’ |stadium = Rose Bowl Attendance: 92,216 Referee: unknown

United States: Brad Friedel, Mike Burns (Mike Sorber 72’), Marcelo Balboa, Alexi Lalas, Paul Caligiuri, John Harkes, Thomas Dooley, Tab Ramos, Cobi Jones, Claudio Reyna, Eric Wynalda (Brian McBride 65’)

Mexico: Jorge Campos, Claudio Suárez, Duilio Davino, Raúl Lara, Rafael Garcia, Sol, Enrique Alfaro (Cuauhtémoc Blanco 75’), Francisco Palencia (José Manuel Abundis 80), Joaquín del Olmo, Germán Villa, Luis García Postigo

Champion

corers

Three Goals
*flagicon|Mexico Luis García Postigo

Two Goals
*flagicon|Ireland David Connolly
*flagicon|Ireland O’Neill

One Goal
*flagicon|Bolivia Jaime Moreno
*flagicon|Bolivia Milton Coimbra
*flagicon|USA Tab Ramos
*flagicon|USA Claudio Reyna
*flagicon|USA Eric Wynalda
*flagicon|USA Thomas Dooley
*flagicon|Ireland Ian Harte
*flagicon|Mexico Cuauhtémoc Blanco
*flagicon|Mexico R. Garcia

Final Rankings