The Copa Centenario de la AFA was an official Argentine football cup competitionGanadores de Copas nacionales on AFA website contested by teams playing in Primera División. The championship was organized by the Argentine Football Association in 1993 in order to celebrate its 100th anniversary.AFA - "List of First Division Champions (in Spanish)" The winner of this tournament was the Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP), who defeated River Plate in the final match.
History Its model being based on the Coppa Italia, or the Spanish Copa del Rey, all the squads of Primera División who participated in the 1992–93 season (except for Talleres de Córdoba and San Martín de Tucumán), played home and away matches with their classic rivals ('derby matches') during the first phase. Afterwards, teams played two other rounds (winners' and losers' bracket), following a system of "double elimination".
Gimnasia y Esgrima was the winner on the winners' bracket, while River Plate won the losers' bracket. The final match was played in January 1994 at Gimnasia's venue, Carmelo Zerillo Stadium. Gimnasia needed to win the match to become the champion, while River Plate had to defeat El Lobo in two opportunities, as River Plate had accessed to the final by winning the losers' round. However, an additional match became unnecessary, as Gimnasia defeated River by 3–1, thereby winning the only edition of the Copa Centenario. This Cup constitutes until today one of the two official titles that Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) has won in the Argentine top-division competitions, the other one being the 1929 Primera División championship. These conquests are celebrated with the "two stars" often displayed on the team's jerseys.
As winners of the Copa Centenario, Gimnasia y Esgrima had the privilege to play the friendly Sanwa Bank Cup against the champion of 1994 Japanese League, the Verdy Kawasaki. That game finished in a 2–2 draw, and it was decided on penalties, Verdy Kawasaki being the winners.
First round First Leg: between June 3 and July 3, 1993. Second leg: between July 2 and July 11, 1993.
Winners qualified to First winners Round, losers advanced to First losers Round
Winners round First winners round Played on July 11, 1993. Team 1ScoreTeam 2Racing3–2Vélez SársfieldBelgrano2–0PlatenseArgentinos Juniors1–0San LorenzoGimnasia y Esgrima (LP)1–0Newell's Old Boys Bye: River Plate Winners qualified to Second winners Round, losers advanced to Second losers Round
Second winners round Played on July 18 & 25, 1993. Team 1ScoreTeam 2Argentinos Juniors1–2Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP)Racing1–0River Plate Bye: Belgrano Winners qualified to Third winners Round, losers advanced to Third losers Round
Third winners round Played on August 1, 1993. Team 1ScoreTeam 2Belgrano3–2Racing Bye: Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) Winners qualified to Winners round Final, loser advanced to Third losers round
Winners round Final Played on August 7, 1993. Team 1ScoreTeam 2Belgrano2–2 (3-4p)Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) Winner qualified to the Final, loser advanced to Losers Round Final
Losers round First losers round Played on July 11, 1993. Team 1ScoreTeam 2Independiente3–0Ferro Carril OesteDeportivo Mandiyú1–0LanúsDeportivo Español2–1HuracánEstudiantes (LP)0–1Rosario Central Bye: Boca Juniors
Second losers round Played on July 18 & 25, 1993. Team 1ScoreTeam 2Independiente1–0PlatenseDeportivo Español2–1Newell's Old BoysSan Lorenzo0–0 (6-5p)Rosario CentralBoca Juniors1–0Vélez Sársfield Bye: Deportivo Mandiyú
Third losers round Played between July 25 & August 8, 1993. Team 1ScoreTeam 2Deportivo Español1–0Deportivo MandiyúArgentinos Juniors1–0Boca JuniorsRiver Plate3–0Independiente Bye: San Lorenzo
Fourth losers round Played on August 14 & 16, 1993. Team 1ScoreTeam 2River Plate3–2Deportivo EspañolSan Lorenzo2–1Racing Bye: Argentinos Juniors
Fifth losers round Played on August 27, 1993. Team 1ScoreTeam 2River Plate2–1Argentinos Juniors Bye: San Lorenzo
Sixth losers round Played on December 21, 1993. Team 1ScoreTeam 2River Plate3–2San Lorenzo
Losers round Final Played on January 21, 1994. Team 1ScoreTeam 2River Plate2–1Belgrano
Final
Top goalscorer Player Goals Team Claudio López Racing
References