Denmark clinched a second-place finish in Group C at Euro 2024 solely due to the fact Slovenia assistant coach Milivoje Novakovic picked up a yellow card during his team’s opening clash of the tournament against the Danes. Both countries have booked their place in the last-16 after finishing behind group winners England, who drew 0-0 with Slovenia on Tuesday evening.
Denmark and Slovenia have both proved impossible to overcome at Euro 2024 so far, with the two teams drawing all three of their Group C encounters to bag themselves three points apiece.
As per the tournament regulations, teams who finish level on points are separated firstly by goal difference, before goals scored are taken into account. And disciplinary records are then considered if teams still can’t be divided.
Denmark and Slovenia both finished the group stages of Euro 2024 with a goal difference of zero after scoring two goals and conceding two goals. And, incredibly, both teams had six players booked in their three matches.
So UEFA then took into account the booking Novakovic received when distinguishing which of the teams would progress as group runners up and which team would finish in third.
Denmark’s celebrations may have been short-lived, however, as they were rewarded for finishing second by being handed a last-16 encounter against hosts Germany. The match will be played at Borussia Dortmund’s stadium at 8pm on Saturday.
“Playing against Germany here with the Danish team, it can’t be better, can’t wait,” Denmark head coach Hjulmand explained following his team’s 0-0 draw with Serbia on Tuesday evening. “It’s a great team but we’re a great team as well. And when we play the big the big nations, we always step up.”
Slovenia, meanwhile, will face either Group F winners Portugal or the winners of Group E in the last 16 after finishing as one of the four best third-place teams.
They would take on Portugal next Monday at 8pm at the Frankfurt Arena, while a match against the Group E winners would be scheduled to go ahead at Bayern Munich’s stadium at 5pm next Tuesday. Ahead of the final round of Group E matches, Romania, Belgium, Slovakia and Ukraine had all accumulated three points.
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Meanwhile, Serbia have been dumped out of Euro 2024 after finishing bottom of Group C.
And following their exit, Serbia manager Dragan Stojkovic launched a scathing attack on England, who were the only team to beat them at the tournament.
“Everyone thought England might be some miracle from another planet but they were nothing like that. The expectations were just different,” he exclaimed.