1997 Algarve Cup

1997 Algarve Cup
Tournament details
Host country  Portugal
Teams (from 2 confederations)
Venue(s) 9
Final positions
Champions  Norway (3rd title)
Runners-up  China PR
Third place  Sweden
Tournament statistics
Matches played 16
Goals scored 39 (2.44 per match)
Best player Marianne Pettersen

The 1997 Algarve Cup was the fourth edition of the Algarve Cup, an invitational women's association football tournament. It took place between 10 and 16 March 1997 in Portugal with Norway winning the event for the third time in its history.

Contents

Format

The Netherlands returned to the tournament, replacing Russia.

The eight invited teams were split into two groups that played a round-robin tournament. On completion of this, the fourth placed teams in each group would play each other to determine seventh and eighth place, the third placed teams in each group would play each other to decide fifth and sixth place, the second placed teams in each group would play to determine third and fourth place and the winners of each group would compete for first and second place overall.

Points awarded in the group stage followed the standard formula of three points for a win, one point for a draw and zero points for a loss.

Group A

Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
 Norway 9 3 3 0 0 14 1 +13
 Denmark 6 3 2 0 1 6 4 +2
 Finland 3 3 1 0 2 3 7 −4
 Iceland 0 3 0 0 3 1 12 −11
March 10, 1997
Denmark  4–1  Iceland Silves

March 10, 1997
Norway  5–1  Finland Silves

March 12, 1997
Norway  6–0  Iceland Olhão

March 12, 1997
Denmark  2–0  Finland Olhão

March 14, 1997
Norway  3–0  Denmark Alvor

March 14, 1997
Finland  2–0  Iceland Montechoro, Albufeira

Group B

Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
 China PR 9 3 3 0 0 6 0 +6
 Sweden 6 3 2 0 1 8 2 +6
 Netherlands 3 3 1 0 2 1 5 −4
 Portugal 0 3 0 0 3 0 8 −8
March 10, 1997
China PR  3–0  Portugal Faro

March 12, 1997
Sweden  4–0  Netherlands Faro

March 12, 1997
China PR  1–0  Netherlands Portimão

March 12, 1997
Sweden  4–0  Portugal Lagoa

March 14, 1997
China PR  2–0  Sweden Albufeira

March 14, 1997
Netherlands  1–0  Portugal Montechoro, Albufeira

Seventh Place

March 16, 1997
Iceland  0–0
(4–3)
(PSO)
 Portugal Faro

Portugal finished bottom of their group for the fourth year in a row and lost the seventh place play-off on penalties to Iceland.

Fifth Place

March 16, 1997
Netherlands  1–0  Finland Faro

Third Place

March 16, 1997
Sweden  0–0
(6–5)
(PSO)
 Denmark Loulé

1996 runners up Sweden finished in third place overall after winning a penalty shootout following a goalless game.

Final

March 16, 1997
Norway  1–0  China PR Loulé
 75' (pen.) Riise

Norway won the competition for the third time thanks to Hege Riise's 75th minute penalty.

Awards

 1997 Algarve Cup 

Norway
Third title
Best player
Marianne Pettersen

External links