With the fates of three groups in Euro 2012 still undecided, leaving 10 teams with their fate unknown, here is our guide to what each team need to do to progress.
As it stands (team, points, goal difference):
- Germany; 6; +2
- Portugal; 3; 0
- Denmark; 3; 0
- Netherlands; 0; -2
- a draw (or a win) will guarantee top spot in the group.
- if they lose to Denmark and Portugal don't win against Netherlands, Germany finish 2nd.
- if they lose to Denmark by 1 and Portugal beat Netherlands, then it will come down to goals scored. Denmark will definitely finish above Germany, and Portugal will as long as the Danes don't win by 3-2, 4-3, etc.
- if they lose to Denmark by 2 and Portugal beat Netherlands, Germany finish 3rd.
Denmark
- if they win against Germany and Portugal don't win, they will finish 1st.
- if they win against Germany by 1 and Portugal do win, Denmark will still go through, but as above, it depends on goals scored.
- if they win against Germany by 2 and Portugal win, then Denmark win the group.
- if they draw then they will finish 2nd if Portugal lose, and 3rd if Portugal win or draw.
- if they lose, then they go out.
Portugal
- if they win and Denmark fail to win, Portugal finish 2nd.
- if they win along with Denmark then they will go through, unless as mentioned, they lose out to Germany on goals scored.
- if they draw, they need Denmark to fail to win.
- if they lose by 1 and Denmark lose then they will still go through.
- if they lose and Denmark pick up a point or more, Portugal go out.
- if they lose by 2 then they will go out.
Netherlands
- the only way they can go through is if they beat Portugal by 2 or more, and Denmark lose to Germany.
Group C
As it stands
- Spain; 4; +4
- Croatia; 4; +2
- Italy; 2; 0
- Ireland; 0; -6
Spain
- if they win they win the group.
- if they draw and Italy fail to win, then Spain will win the group.
- if they draw 0-0 and Italy win, then Spain will finish 2nd.
- if they draw 1-1 and Italy win, then Spain finish 1st unless Italy better Spain's 4-0 win over Ireland.
- if they draw 2-2 then they go through top.
- if they lose, then they either finish 2nd if Italy don't win, or 3rd if they do.
Croatia
- if they win then they win the group
- if they draw and Italy fail to win, they finish 2nd.
- if they draw 0-0 and Italy win, then they will finish 3rd.
- if they draw 1-1 and Italy win, they will either finish 2nd or 3rd depending on whether Italy beat their 3-1 win over Ireland.
- if they draw 2-2 they go through in 2nd place.
- if they lose then they finish 2nd or 3rd depending on whether Italy win.
Italy
- if they fail to win, they go out.
- if they win, then they go through unless Spain and Croatia have a score draw (see above for permutations).
Ireland
- out, no matter what.
Group D
As it stands
- France; 4; +2
- England; 4; +1
- Ukraine; 3; -1
- Sweden; 0; -2
France
- if they win and England fail to win, France win the group.
- if they win and England to win, then it will go down to goal difference, which of course currently favours France.
- if they draw then they will finish top if England and Ukraine draw, otherwise they finish 2nd.
- if they lose then will still finish 2nd, unless Ukraine win, but France end up with a worse goal difference than England.
England
- if they win, see France to see whether England or France finish top.
- if they draw they will finish 2nd unless Sweden beat France.
- if they lose they go out unless Sweden beat France by enough to give them a worse goal difference than England.
Ukraine
- if they win they finish 1st or 2nd depending on whether France win or not.
- if they don't win, they go out.
- win, lose, draw, they're out.
As fun as it is working all these out, how on earth anyone thinks head-to-head is a better system than goal difference is beyond me.