Example:
Penalty shoot-out in the last group match
Under the UEFA rules for this tournament, a special case can arise: the penalty shoot-out in the final group match.
There are two matches in each group that can end in a penalty shoot-out. It is the two matches that are the last group match for each team. These two matches will be played at the same time in all groups.
Rule:
If the last group match in one of the six groups ends in a draw and both teams have the same number of points, the same goal difference and the same number of goals scored, then the final placement is not decided by the fair play rating and the overall European Qualifiers rankings, as is usually the case, but by a penalty shoot-out.
But not always!
The prerequisite is that no other team has the same number of points as these two. If that is the case, there is no penalty shoot-out, but the final placement is decided by the usual criteria of the group stage (from the direct comparison of the three teams to the overall European Qualifiers rankings).
Case study:
Let us assume that the following results were achieved in Group A:
| Germany | Scotland | 0 - 1 |
| Hungary | Switzerland | 1 - 2 |
| Germany | Hungary | 0 - 1 |
| Scotland | Switzerland | 1 - 2 |
| Switzerland | Germany | 1 - 1 |
| Scotland | Hungary | 2 - 2 |
Then the group table looks like this:
| place | team | points | goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Switzerland | 7 | 5 - 3 |
| 2 | Hungary | 4 | 4 - 4 |
| 3 | Scotland | 4 | 4 - 4 |
| 4 | Germany | 1 | 1 - 3 |
The last group match "Scotland - Hungary" ended in a draw and the two teams are indistinguishable in terms of points, goal difference and the number of goals scored. If the game "Scotland - Hungary" was not the last group game, the fair play rating would decide - or, in case of a tie, the overall European Qualifiers rankings would decide in favor of Hungary. Hungary ranks 6th there. Scotland, on the other hand, is in 13th place.
Since the match "Scotland - Hungary" is the last group match and no other team has reached 4 points, a penalty shoot-out takes place, which decides which of the two ends up in second place in the group.
Example 2:
No penalty shoot-out in the last group match
despite a draw, equal points and equality of goals
Case study:
We assume that Group B had the following results:
| Spain | Croatia | 1 - 3 |
| Italy | Albania | 2 - 2 |
| Croatia | Albania | 1 - 1 |
| Spain | Italy | 0 - 2 |
| Albania | Spain | 3 - 1 |
| Croatia | Italy | 2 - 2 |
Then the group table looks like this:
| place | team | points | goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italy | 5 | 6 - 4 |
| 2 | Albania | 5 | 6 - 4 |
| 3 | Croatia | 5 | 6 - 4 |
| 4 | Spain | 0 | 2 - 8 |
The last group match "Croatia - Italy" ended in a draw and the two teams are indistinguishable in terms of points, goal difference and the number of goals scored. Even so, there is no penalty shoot-out because a third team, in this case Albania, has the same score of 5 points.
The order is therefore determined according to the usual criteria, i.e. in the event of a tie, the three teams with the same number of points are compared first. To do this, look at a table in which only the matches between these three teams are taken into account. In the present case, this table looks like this:
| place | team | points | goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italy | 2 | 4 - 4 |
| 2 | Albania | 2 | 3 - 3 |
| 3 | Croatia | 2 | 3 - 3 |
Italy is in first place in the table because of the most goals scored. Another direct comparison (only these two teams) will be carried out between Albania and Croatia. However, since the direct encounter between Albania and Croatia ended in a draw, the fair play rating or, in the event of a tie in the fair play rating, the overall European Qualifiers rankings will decide. Albania is in 10th place and Croatia in 14th place.
Example 3:
Penalty shootouts in the last two group matches
It may also happen that a penalty shootout takes place in both matches of the last matchday in a group.
Case study:
We assume that the following match results occurred in Group C:
| Slovenia | Denmark | 1 - 1 |
| Serbia | England | 1 - 1 |
| Slovenia | Serbia | 3 - 2 |
| Denmark | England | 2 - 3 |
| England | Slovenia | 1 - 1 |
| Denmark | Serbia | 0 - 0 |
Then the group table looks like this:
| place | team | points | goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | England | 5 | 5 - 4 |
| 2 | Slovenia | 5 | 5 - 4 |
| 3 | Denmark | 2 | 3 - 4 |
| 4 | Serbia | 2 | 3 - 4 |
The last two group matches, "England - Slovenia" and "Denmark - Serbia", ended in a draw and the two opposing teams are indistinguishable in terms of points, goal difference and number of goals scored. Both matches will therefore end with a penalty shootout. This penalty shootout will decide which of the two teams will finish in 1st or 3rd place.
