UEFA hopes that fair play will prevail in the unprecedented final round of Group Five matches in the Euro 2024 tournament tomorrow, Wednesday. The four teams in the group are tied with 3 points each: Romania has scored 3 goals and conceded 2, while Belgium has scored 2 goals and conceded 1. Slovakia has scored 2 goals and conceded 2, while Ukraine has scored 2 goals and conceded 4.
For Romania and Slovakia, a draw in their match will advance both teams to the round of 16, regardless of the result of the Belgium and Ukraine match. UEFA does not want a repeat of the 1982 World Cup incident between West Germany and Austria, where both teams effectively stopped playing after Germany led 1-0, allowing both to advance at the expense of Algeria, which had played its match beforehand.
To avoid such scenarios, final round matches of major tournaments are now held simultaneously. However, there are concerns about the current tournament system, where the best four third-placed teams among the six groups qualify for the round of 16, particularly regarding the unprecedented standings of Group Five.
A draw between Romania and Slovakia would bring both teams to 4 points, a total greater than that of the third-placed teams in groups one (Hungary with 3 points) and two (Croatia with 2 points). If they draw, the two teams will finish the group in second and third place, provided that either Belgium or Ukraine wins their match. If both matches end in a draw, Romania and Slovakia will also advance because Ukraine will remain last on goal difference.
This means that the Ukrainian team is the only one that must win to qualify without relying on others, while the other three teams must avoid defeat.
