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Maxim T’sjoen
Published on
June 25, 2024 at 5:54 p.m.
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It was cool to be able to watch a match at 3 p.m., another at 6 p.m. and the last at 9 p.m. Matches galore for Euro 2024. But all that is over. Since Sunday June 23, 2024, only two match slots remain, each time with the two matches from the same group simultaneously.
Indeed, and this is also the case during the World Cup, the last days of the group stages take place at the same time. That is to say that all four teams are on the pitch at the same time.
Not practical for watching, but it is for a very specific reason: sporting fairness.
Avoid arrangements
By having the four teams from the same group play simultaneously, this avoids the risk of an arrangement between two who could qualify thanks to results defined in advance.
Enough to guarantee a minimum of spectacle. This system has been in place since 1984 and follows a meeting nicknamed “the match of shame” in 1982.
“The match of shame”
During the 1982 World Cup, Algeria won 3 goals to 2 against Chile in its last match, and could claim to qualify in group 2. The next day, the last meeting of the group pitted Austria against the FRG .
Austria was almost sure to qualify (they couldn’t be three goals behind) and West Germany had to win to qualify. Result of the match, 1-0 for the RFA in a match where the two teams did not force the line to try to score other goals. Score which satisfied Austria and West Germany and therefore eliminated Algeria.
Even if this has never been proven, it is to avoid this type of arrangement that the last group matches are played at the same time. And if you want to follow both matches, you will need two screens. Or skip from one match to another.
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