Euro 2016 | How your favourite team can qualify for the knockouts and who are they likely to face
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The group stage of the 2016 European championship is fast approaching its last day. 24 teams started the tournament on June 10, and after two weeks, 12 teams have secured their place in the last-16, while four have been eliminated.
With 4 spots still vacant, eight teams are in the fray for a place in the knockouts. With a lot of permutations and combinations on offer, here is how your favourite team can enter the last-16 and who they are likely to face.
Teams who have already qualified for Round of 16 (first two places in groups): France, Switzerland, Wales, England, Germany, Poland, Croatia, Spain, Italy, Hungary
Qualified best third-placed teams: Slovakia and Northern Ireland
Eliminated teams: Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Czech Republic
Teams in the fray for remaining four spots: Iceland, Portugal, Austria, Belgium, Sweden, Republic of Ireland, Turkey, Albania
The last matchday of the group stage will see teams in Group E and F playing their final group matches. With high-profile teams like Portugal and Belgium yet to secure a place in the knockouts from these groups, Let’s start from Group E and F.
Group E
(Italy, Belgium, Sweden, Republic of Ireland)
Italy: The Gli Azzurri have already secured a place in the last-16 of the tournament after registering two wins from their first two games. Antonio Conte’s men will face the Republic of Ireland in the last group match, but the result of that match will not affect their place in the standings as they will move into the knockout stages as group winners, having beaten Belgium, who are placed second.
Belgium: After a defeat against Italy, the Red Devils bounced back with a 3-0 thumping won over the Republic of Ireland. Marc Wilmots’ side will go up against Sweden in the last match, needing only a point to go through to the round of 16.
A. If they beat Sweden, Belgium will go into the knockout stages as the runners-up from Group E.
B. Even if they draw against Sweden, they will enter the round of 16 as the Group E runners-up.
C. If they lose, they can still qualify as one of the best third-placed teams. They will have to keep their goal difference at less than -2 to secure a path into the knockouts.
Sweden: Zlatan Ibrahimovic has announced his retirement from International duty, and the game against Belgium on Wednesday will be his last for his
Republic of Ireland: Similar to Sweden, Ireland’s future in the tournament also depends on a win in their last group game. A draw or defeat will finish their chances of qualifying for the round of 16, while a win will give them a passage through to the knockouts either as runners-up or as one of the best third-placed teams.
Likely scenario: Belgium will qualify for the round of 16 with Sweden and the Republic of Ireland suffering defeats in their last group games.
Group F
(Hungary, Portugal, Iceland, Austria)
Hungary: They have already confirmed a place in the knockouts, at the least as one of the best third-placed teams. Hungary
A. If they defeat Portugal, they will finish as the group winners.
B. If they draw, they will finish at the least as runners-up, and if Austria manages a win or draw against Iceland or if Iceland
C. If they lose the game against Portugal, and Iceland beat Austria, Hungary will go through as one of best third-placed teams. A draw or defeat for
Iceland: Two draws against Portugal and Hungary, and a goal difference of Zero, have put Iceland needing just a point to enter the last-16.
A. A win in the last game against
B. A draw against Austria will also confirm their place in the last-16. Whether they will go through as runners-up or as a third placed team will
C. A defeat will see them bowing out of the tournament.
Portugal: At the start of the tournament, a group containing Hungary, Iceland, and Austria looked like a cake-walk for Cristiano Ronaldo’s team. But, two back-to-back draws have put them in a position, where they need at least a point against Hungary in the last match to confirm their place in the round of 16.
A. A win against
B. A draw will also help them move ahead as one of the third-placed teams with them a having a better goal difference.
C. A defeat will end their campaign in the Euros.
Austria: It is all simple for Austria in the last match. They have to defeat Iceland to go through with any other result ending their campaign.
Likely Scenario: Hungary and Portugal are likely to play out a draw, and Austria and Iceland are also expected to do the same. Hungary, Portugal, and Iceland will go through from the group.
In this scenario, Turkey from Group D will become the last best third-placed team to enter the last-16.
The round of 16 scenarios
Two of the eight pre-quarter-final matches have already been decided, leaving the other six matches open.
In the first match, Group A runners-up Switzerland will face Group C runners-up Poland.
Match 2 will be between Group D winners Croatia and Slovakia/third-placed team in Group E or F.
With us predicting Sweden to crash out and Iceland to go through as Group F third-placed team, Likely Scenario: Croatia will face Iceland
Match 3, Group B winners Wales will go up against one of the third-placed teams in Group C and D, Northern
Likely Scenario: Wales vs Turkey
Match 4, Winner of Group A, France, vs Northern Ireland, third-placed Group C, or third-placed Group E.
Likely Scenario: France vs Northern Ireland
Match 5, Winner of Group C, Germany, vs third-placed Group A, Albania, or third-placed Group B, Slovakia.
Likely scenario: Germany vs Slovakia
Match 6, Winner of Group F vs Runner-up Group E.
Likely scenario: Hungary vs Belgium
Match 7, Winner Group E, Italy, vs Runner-up Group D, Spain.
Italy vs Spain
Match 8, runners-up Group B, England, vs runners-up Group F
Likely Scenario: England vs Portugal
Also read: Remembering the Greek Miracle of Euro 2004
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