3 days Ago By Dale Johnson
are through to the knockout stages at , but as the winners of Group C they probably won't know their round-of-16 opponents until the group stage is completed on Wednesday. The top teams in Groups B, C, E and F will take on one of the four teams who go through as best third-placed finishers. And that's all going to depend on who qualifies.
UEFA created a grid before the tournament began which set out where each third-placed team would go depending on which four groups provided the qualifiers. It does not matter if a country was the best third-placed team or the fourth-best, allocation is purely based upon the grid. As we know that Group C ( ) and Group D ( ) have provided teams, and that Group B ( ) cannot, only three combinations are now possible: ACDE, ACDF and CDEF.
This refers to the letters of the groups who provide the qualifiers. The two teams joining Slovenia and Netherlands will be: and a team from Group E, or Hungary and a team from Group F, or teams from Group E and F. England have two possible round-of-16 opponents: Netherlands or the team who finish third in Group E (that's the group with in it.
) If Hungary qualify in third from Group A, England will play Netherlands. If Hungary miss out, meaning Groups E and F both provide third-placed teams, England will play the team who finish third in Group E. England could actually find out who they will play at the end of the day's first games.
If either game in Group E is drawn (Slovakia and Romania will both go through if.
