1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)
Tournament details
Dates16 September 1996 – 29 November 1997
Teams10 (from 1 confederation)
Tournament statistics
Matches played24
Goals scored88 (3.67 per match)
Attendance99,533 (4,147 per match)
Top scorer(s)Solomon Islands Noel Berry (7 goals)

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.

Format

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 21103214
2  Solomon Islands 20202202
3  Vanuatu 201123-11
Papua New Guinea 1–1 Solomon Islands
Daniel 15' (report) Rukumana 71'
Attendance: 4,500
Referee: Eugene Brazzale (Australia)
Solomon Islands 1–1 Vanuatu
Berry 16' (Report) Naukoot 37'
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Massimo Raveino (Tahiti)
Papua New Guinea 2–1 Vanuatu
Furigi 88'
Karang 89'		 (report) Garo 27'
Attendance: 7,500
Referee: Eugene Brazzale (Australia)

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 22003036
2  Western Samoa 21012203
3  Cook Islands 200214-30
Tonga 2–0 Cook Islands
Moleni 20', 67' (report)
Attendance: 500
Referee: Shameem Khan (Fiji)
Western Samoa 2–1 Cook Islands
Tapunuu 10'
Palusami 20'		 (report) Stenter 68'
Attendance: 400
Referee: Neil Fox (New Zealand)
Tonga 1–0 Western Samoa
Vane 29' (report)
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Derek Rugg (New Zealand)

Tonga advanced to the first round play-off.

Play-off

Tonga 0–4 Solomon Islands
(report) Kiriau 34'
Seni 73'
Berry 85'
Peli 87'
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Derek Rugg (New Zealand)
Solomon Islands 9–0 Tonga
Berry 3', 41', 57'
Rukumana 12'
Wabo 37'
Seni 61', 63', 74'
Kiriau 66'		 (report)
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Massimo Raveino (Tahiti)

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 44002622412
2  Solomon Islands 4112721-144
3  Tahiti 4013212-101
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)
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
Seni 37'
Berry 39', 80'
Toata 89'		 (report) Ludivion 82'
Sydney, Australia
Attendance: 253
Referee: Neil Fox (New Zealand)
Solomon Islands 2–6 Australia
Peli 59'
Suri 65'		 (report) Slater 15'
Arnold 17'
Kaierea 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
Rousseau 38' (report) Kwaomae 43'
Sydney, Australia
Attendance: 266
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 4301131129
2  Fiji 420247-36
3  Papua New Guinea 4103211-93
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)
Attendance: 2,000
Fiji 3–1 Papua New Guinea
Pita 22'
Masinisau 26'
Duguga 89'		 (report) Waiwai 68'
Attendance: 1,500
New Zealand 5–0 Fiji
Rufer 17', 77'
Coveny 63'
Viljoen 80'
van Steeden 85'		 (report)
Attendance: 12,033
Referee: Massimo Raveino (Tahiti)
Papua New Guinea 0–1 Fiji
(report) Driu 1'
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Pirom Anprasert (Thailand)

New Zealand advanced to the Final Round.

Final round

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
New Zealand  0-5  Australia 0-3 0-2
New Zealand 0–3 Australia
(report) Aloisi 18'
Vidmar 42'
Foster 67'
Attendance: 23,000
Australia 2–0 New Zealand
Zelić 6'
Arnold 54'		 (report)
Attendance: 14,045

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

Inter-confederation play-off

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Iran  (a) 3–3  Australia 1–1 2–2

Goalscorers

There were 88 goals scored in 24 matches (including 2 international play-offs), for an average of 3.67 goals per match.

7 goals
  • Solomon Islands Noel Berry
6 goals
5 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goals
1 own goal
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