1999 Commonwealth of Independent States Cup explained

Tourney Name:	Commonwealth of Independent States Cup
Year:	1999
Other Titles:	CIS Cup, Кубок Содружества 1999
Country:	Russia
Dates:	23–31 January 1999
Num Teams:	16
Venues:	3
Cities:	1
Champion Other:	Spartak Moscow
Count:	4
Matches:	29
Goals:	90
Top Scorer:	Mihails Miholaps (7 goals)
Prevseason:	1998
Nextseason:	2000

The 1999 Commonwealth of Independent States Cup was the seventh edition of the competition between the champions of former republics of Soviet Union. It was won by Spartak Moscow for the fourth time.

Format change

Starting with this edition of the tournament, all participating nations were split into two divisions. Eight nations which were represented in 1998 Cup quarterfinals were included in the Top Division, while the other seven nations included in the First Division. This format lasted for three years (1999–2001), before being reverted to the previous format (used from 1996 till 1998). The change was implemented to reduce the number of non-competitive games between opponents with big strength gap, such as 1998 match between Spartak Moscow and Vakhsh Qurghonteppa, which was won by the Russian side with a record-setting score 19–0.^[1]

• Top Division: In the first round, eight participants are split into two groups (A and B). Nations, whose representatives finish last in their groups, are being relegated to the First Division for the next season. Two best-placed clubs from each group will advance to the semifinal round, with two games between the clubs advanced from the same group being carried over from the first round. In the semifinal round, clubs will play two games against two teams which qualified from the opposing First Round group. Two best clubs of the semifinal round table advance to the final match.
• First Division: Seven nations of the First Division are split into two groups (C and D). Unofficial participant Russia U21 national team is added to one of the groups, but their games are not counted for the official table. Nations, whose representatives win their groups, are being promoted to the Top Division for the next season.

Participants

Team	Qualification	Participation
Top Division
Spartak Moscow	1998 Russian Top Division champions	6th
Dynamo Kyiv	1997–98 Vyshcha Liha champions	4th
Dnepr-Transmash Mogilev	1998 Belarusian Premier League champions	1st
FBK Kaunas	1998–99 A Lyga 2nd team as of the winter break ^1	1st
Skonto Riga	1998 Latvian Higher League champions	7th
Dinamo Tbilisi	1997–98 Umaglesi Liga champions ^2	7th
Kapaz Ganja	1997–98 Azerbaijan Top League champions	3rd
Köpetdag Aşgabat	1997–98 Ýokary Liga champions	7th
First Division
Tulevik Viljandi	1998 Meistriliiga 5th team ^3	2nd
Zimbru Chișinău	1997–98 Moldovan National Division champions	6th
Tsement Ararat	1998 Armenian Premier League champions	1st
Yelimay Semipalatinsk	1998 Kazakhstan Premier League champions	3rd
Varzob Dushanbe	1998 Tajik League champions	1st
CAG-Dinamo-MVD Bishkek	1998 Kyrgyzstan League champions	2nd
Russia U21	Unofficial entry, not eligible for promotion	5th
Spartak-2 Moscow	Unofficial entry, not eligible for promotion ^4	1st

• ¹ FBK Kaunas replaced Žalgiris Vilnius (league's top team at the winter break), who withdrew after delegating most of its players to the national youth teams during tournament's time frame.
• ² Dinamo Tbilisi were represented by youth/reserve players.
• ³ Tulevik Viljandi participated as a farm club of Flora Tallinn (1998 Estonian champions).
• ⁴ Spartak-2 Moscow replaced Pakhtakor Tashkent (1998 Uzbek champions), who withdrew along with other Uzbek teams.

First Division

Group C

• Unofficial table

• Official table

• Moldova promoted to the Top Division

Results

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Group D

• Unofficial table

• Official table

• Armenia promoted to the Top Division

Results

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Top Division

Group A

• Georgia relegated to First Division

Results

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Group B

• Turkmenistan relegated to First Division

Results

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Final rounds

Semifinal

• Two results carried over from the first round: Dynamo v Skonto 4–3 and Spartak v Kaunas 2–0

Results

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Final

Top scorers

Rank	Player	Team	Goals
1	Mihails Miholaps	Skonto Riga	7
2	Imants Bleidelis	Skonto Riga	4
align=center rowspan="4"	3	Andrey Tikhonov	Spartak Moscow	3
Artyom Bezrodny	Spartak Moscow	3
Marians Pahars	Skonto Riga	3
Artur Voskanyan	Tsement Ararat	3

External links

• 1999 CIS Cup at rsssf.com
• 1999 CIS Cup at football.by
• 1999 CIS Cup at kick-off.by

Notes and References

1. http://www.sport-express.ru/newspaper/1998-10-19/7_2/ New formula adopted for Commonwealth Cup