Copa Centenario de la AFA
| Founded | 1993 |
|---|---|
| Abolished | 1994 |
| Region | Argentina |
| Number of teams | 18 |
| Last champions | Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) |
The Copa Centenario de la AFA was an official[1] football tournament among Primera División teams, organized by the Argentine Football Association in 1993 in order to celebrate its 100th anniversary.[2] The winner of this tournament was the Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP), who defeated River Plate in the final match.
Modeled on the Italian Cup, or the Spanish Copa del Rey, all the squads of Argentine First Division who participated in the 92-93 season (except for Talleres (C) and San Martín ( T)), 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 (LP) was the winner on the Winners' bracket, while River Plate won the Losers' bracket. The final match was played on January 1994 at Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP)'s Stadium. Gimnasia needed to win the match to become the champion, while River Plate had to defeat "The Wolf" 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-tier competitions, the other one being the 1929 First Division Championship. These conquests are celebrated with the "two stars" often displayed on the team's jerseys.
As winners of the Centenario Cup, Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) had the privilege to play the friendly Sanwa Bank Cup against the First Division Champion of Japan, the Verdy Kawasaki. That game finished in a 2-2 draw, and it was decided on penalties, Verdy Kawasaki being the winners.
Final details
30 January 1994 |
| Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 3-1 | River Plate |
|---|---|---|
Guerra  44' P. Fernández 76' Guillermo B.S. 89' |
Report | Villalba 49' |
       Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP)
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     River Plate
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