. ▁ ▁Con tr ast ing ▁Canada ' s ▁success , ▁the ▁USA ' s ▁semif inal ▁loss ▁to ▁Mexico ▁marked ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁ever ▁that ▁the ▁USA ▁did ▁not ▁win ▁a ▁World ▁Cup ▁qual ifying ▁match . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁second ▁time ▁that ▁the ▁USA ▁failed ▁to ▁appear ▁in ▁a ▁CON C AC AF ▁final ▁match , ▁though ▁only ▁because ▁they ▁did ▁not ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁Championship . ▁ ▁Qual ification ▁ ▁North ▁America ▁Direct ▁entry : ▁▁ ▁( Title ▁H older ) ▁▁ ▁( Runner - up ) ▁▁ ▁( Host ) ▁ ▁Central ▁America ▁Via ▁qual ification : ▁▁ ▁( W inner ▁Central ▁American ▁Tri angular ▁A ) ▁▁ ▁( W inner ▁Central ▁American ▁Tri angular ▁B ) ▁ ▁Car ib bean ▁Via ▁qual ification : ▁▁ ▁( W inner ▁Car ib bean ▁qual ifying ▁Group ▁F ) ▁▁ ▁( W inner ▁Car ib bean ▁qual ifying ▁Group ▁G ) ▁▁ ▁( W inner ▁Car ib bean ▁play - off ) ▁ ▁Group ▁stage ▁ ▁Match es ▁were ▁played ▁at ▁Estad io ▁de ▁Bé is bol ▁Bet o ▁Á v ila ▁and ▁Estad io ▁Quint ana ▁Ro o ▁in ▁Can c ún . ▁ ▁When ▁teams ▁finished ▁level ▁of ▁points , ▁the ▁final ▁order ▁was ▁determined ▁according ▁to : ▁ ▁greater ▁number ▁of ▁points ▁in ▁matches ▁between ▁tied ▁teams ▁ ▁superior ▁goal ▁difference ▁in ▁matches ▁between ▁tied ▁teams ▁ ▁greater ▁number ▁of ▁goals ▁scored ▁in ▁matches ▁between ▁tied ▁teams ▁ ▁superior ▁goal