GOLD CUP SOCCER
* What: The championship of the North and Central American and Caribbean soccer confederation (CONCACAF).
* Where: Orange Bowl in Miami, Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego and the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles.
* When: Today through Feb. 27.
* Radio: Radio Unica (Spanish); Internetsoccer.com (English).
* TV: Univision (Spanish), Galavision (Spanish), pay per view.
* Entries: Nine CONCACAF countries: Canada, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago and the United States; and three guests: Colombia, Peru and South Korea.
* How it works: The teams have been divided into four groups of three for first-round play. The winner and runner-up of each group advance to the quarterfinals, when it becomes single elimination.
* Players to watch: Dwight Yorke (Trinidad & Tobago); Johnny Descollines (Haiti); Luis Hernandez (Mexico); Brian McBride (USA); Deon Burton (Jamaica); Faustino Asprilla (Colombia); Martin Machon (Guatemala); Roy Myers (Costa Rica); Nolberto Solano (Peru).
* Previous winners: USA, 1991; Mexico, 1993, ’96 and ’98.
* Probable winner: Mexico.
* Tickets: Ticketmaster: (213) 480-3232, (714) 740-2000 or (805) 583-8700. Or online at www.ticketmaster.com.
GROUPS
* Group A--Colombia, Honduras, Jamaica.
* Group B--Haiti, Peru, USA.
* Group C--Guatemala, Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago.
* Group D--Canada, Costa Rica, South Korea.
SCHEDULE
* Today--USA-Haiti (4 p.m); Colombia-Jamaica (6 p.m.), Miami.
* Sunday--Costa Rica-Canada (noon); Mexico-Trinidad & Tobago (2 p.m.), San Diego.
* Monday--Jamaica-Honduras (4 p.m.); Haiti-Peru (6 p.m.), Miami.
* Tuesday--Trinidad & Tobago-Guatemala (7 p.m.); South Korea-Canada (9 p.m.), Coliseum.
* Wednesday--Honduras-Colombia (4 p.m.); Peru-USA (6 p.m.), Miami.
* Thursday--South Korea-Costa Rica (7 p.m.); Mexico-Guatemala (9 p.m.), Coliseum.
* Feb. 19--Winner Group B vs. runner-up Group A (noon); winner Group A vs. runner-up Group B (2:30 p.m.), Miami.
* Feb. 20--Winner Group D vs. runner-up Group C (noon); winner Group C vs. runner-up Group D (2:30 p.m.), San Diego.
* Feb. 23--Winner quarterfinal A vs. winner quarterfinal B (8 p.m.), San Diego.
* Feb. 24--Winner quarterfinal C vs. winner quarterfinal D (8 p.m.), Coliseum.
* Feb. 27--Championship game (noon), Coliseum.
NOTE: All times Pacific
U.S. RECORD
1991, CHAMPION
Opponent (Site) Result
Trinidad & Tobago (Pasadena) 2-1
Guatemala (Pasadena) 3-0
Costa Rica (Los Angeles) 3-2
Mexico (Los Angeles) 2-0
Honduras (Los Angeles) 0-0
NOTE: Won on penalty kicks, 4-3
1993, SECOND
Jamaica (Dallas) 1-0
Panama (Dallas) 2-1
Honduras (Dallas) 1-0
Costa Rica (Dallas) 1-0 (OT)
Mexico (Mexico City) 0-4
1996, THIRD
Trinidad & Tobago (Anaheim) 3-2
El Salvador (Anaheim) 2-0
Brazil (Los Angeles) 0-1
Guatemala (Los Angeles) 3-0
1998, SECOND
Cuba (Oakland) 3-0
Costa Rica (Oakland) 2-1
Brazil (Los Angeles) 1-0
Mexico (Los Angeles) 0-1
OVERALL
* USA record: Played 18, won 14, lost 3; tied 1; goals for 29, goals against 13.
