Rarely this Tuesday, UEFA had to push to the eighth classification criterion to decide between Denmark and Slovenia. After the results of the third day – draw between Denmark and Serbia (0-0) and same score between England and Slovenia (0-0), the two teams were on a strict tie in the tournament.
Same number of points, points in the direct confrontation (1-1), goal difference in the confrontation, goals scored in the confrontation, goal difference, goals scored in total and finally fair play. With six yellow cards each in their three matches, the two teams both had six points in this ranking. We therefore had to go back to qualifying for the Euro.
Denmark finished first in their group, ahead of Slovenia. But the Danes only owe their salvation to a victory on their land on November 17 (2-1, after the 1-1 in Slovenia). This success allowed them to win the direct confrontations, otherwise they would have been second in the group since they had as many points but a goal difference lower than that of the Slovenes. But if they had been tied here too, UEFA would have decided between the two teams by organizing a penalty shootout, the ninth and final criterion imagined.
This second place looks like a poisoned chalice, since Denmark will find its German host in the next round. Slovenia will have to wait until Wednesday evening to find out against which group leader it will play the first eighth in its history.
