Euro 2012 Bracket: Portugal in Best Position to Follow Germany to Quarterfinals

With just one match remaining, every team in the Group of Death still has a chance of advancing to the quarterfinals. But Germany and Portugal, who are in the best position to do so, will find a way out of the group.

Let's take a look why. 

For a complete look at the UEFA Euro 2012 Bracket, click here. For a look at complete results and updated tables, click here. 

What Germany Must Do

This one is pretty simple. As long as the Germans beat or tie Denmark, they will win the group.

Even if they lose, Portugal must win and then both Portugal and Denmark will have to beat the Germans in goal differential for Germany to not advance.

Let me just make this clear. That won't happen.

Germany has looked like the best team in this tournament, and the Danes won't be able to slow down Mario Gomez, Bastian Schweinsteiger and company. Germany will win the match and the group.

Moving on.

What Portugal Must Do

Assuming Germany in fact does beat or tie Denmark, all Portugal has to do is tie with Netherlands and it will advance as the runner-up from Group B. 

This may give Portugal the idea of sitting back and playing for the tie, but Seleccao must not do that. They dropped back after grabbing a 2-0 lead on Denmark, and the Danes, behind their 60 percent possession, made Portugal pay.

If the Portuguese do that against Holland, Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder are too good not to find the back of the net multiple times.

Also, Netherlands has been too weak in the back not to attack and test them. If Portugal stay aggressive on the attack, they will find at least a draw, and that will be enough to put them through to the next round. 

What Denmark Must Do

Their easiest route is going to be to somehow find a way to draw with Germany and then hope Netherlands beats Portugal.

If that happens, the Danes will finish with four points, while Portugal and Netherlands will just have three. 

The Holland over Portugal part isn't inconceivable, but Denmark is going to need some magic to draw with Germany. You can bet they will park the bus in the back and hope to "Chelsea" the Germans. 

What Netherlands Must Do

They must beat Portugal. There is no way around it.

In addition to grabbing three points, the Dutch need Germany to knock off Denmark, leaving the bottom three squads all tied with three points.

The head-to-head tiebreaker won't change things, so it will then go to goal differential in the games between Portgual, Netherlands, and Denmark. 

As it stands now, Denmark is even, Portugal is plus-one and Netherlands is minus-one. A one-goal win for the Dutch would push the tiebreaker to goals scored in the matches involving these three, while a two-goal win would magically put them through.

Still, with that shaky defense, I don't see Netherlands pulling it off, even though they will come out with a relentless attack. 

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