Euro 2012 – Who stands where after Matchday 2 Group A and Group B
The Euro 2012 has got off to the best possible start you could ever ask for. After two rounds of games, no team is yet to guarantee their spot in the Quarterfinals. Two giants Netherlands and Italy face a possible early elimination from the tournament after two poor results to start off with. While there have been not many high scoring games, there have been no goalless draws either. Two players on whom the spotlight have been before the tournament begin had their contrasts turned around in the space of one week. Cristiano Ronaldo, who came into the tournament in red hot form, has failed to replicate his club form in the international jersey and is yet to make a notable contribution for Portugal. Fernando Torres, on the other hand, not guaranteed a place in the starting line-up at the beginning of the tournament,silenced his critics by scoring twice against Ireland.
Before the final round of matches start before the knockouts, let’s take a look at where each team stands in their group and their chances of qualifying.
Group A:
Czech Republic vs. Poland
Russia vs. Greece
| Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
Points |
|
| 1. | Russia |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 2. | Czech Republic |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
-2 |
3 |
| 3. | Poland |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
| 4. | Greece |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
-1 |
1 |
As expected at the start of the tournament, this group is turning out to be a closely contested one. Russia are hands on favorites to win the group after their 4-1 thumping of the Czechs and need only a draw to go through. Czech Republic got over this defeat quick enough to beat Greece by a goal and jump into second place. The Czechs will go through if they manage a draw against the Poles assuming that Russia beat Greece. However a Greece victory would make things complicated and things would boil down head to head.
Greece has been the real disappointment of the group failing to go past the Poles before crashing to a 2-1 defeat against the Czechs and now require a big win to qualify. Everything said and done, Poland have been the surprise package of the group managing a 1-1 draw in both their games. Home crowd has been their 12th man so far and the Poles have an opportunity to reward their fans by beating the Czechs, a result which would guarantee their place in the Quarterfinals, regardless of other results.
Group B:
Netherlands vs. Portugal
Germany vs. Denmark
| Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
Points |
|
| 1. | Germany |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
6 |
| 2. | Portugal |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
| 3. | Denmark |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
| 4. | Netherlands |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
-2 |
0 |
Considered to be one of the stronger contenders for the title, Netherlands now face an early exit from the tournament after slumping to losses in their opening two fixtures. However they can still make it to the next round if they manage to beat Portugal by more than two goals, assuming that Germany get maximum points against Denmark. Any slip-up by Germany would mean that the Dutch would have to catch an early flight home.
Germany are all but through to the Quarterfinals after notching up two victories. The only permutation that Germany might not make it through is if they lose to Danes and the Portuguese beat Netherlands, it would boil down to head to head, in which Denmark and Portugal have an advantage due to their high scoring fixture (as head to head between the three teams would remain level).
Denmark and Portugal need to get a better result than the other in the final round of fixtures to go through to the knockouts as they lie equal on both points and goal difference. The least both the teams would hope for is a draw as that would put Netherlands out of the equation. In case of a similar result, the Portuguese would go through because of their 3-2 triumph over the Danes.
Legend:
P: Played
W: Won
D: Drawn
L: Lost
F: For
A: Against
GD: Goal difference
Tags: Cristiano Ronaldo, EURO 2012, Group A, Group B, Italy, Netherlands
