Euro 2012: Team-by-Team Guide to the Final Round of Matches and Group Scenarios

Today, the third and final matches of the Euro 2012 group stage kick off for each nation as they look to shore up their spots in the quarterfinals.

Because of UEFA's unique tie-breaking policies, almost anything is still possible at this point in the competition.  However, this makes the number of permutations great, the possibilities complicated and the chances of having a grasp on every team and group's situation slim.

Never fear: In the coming slides, we will break down each and every team's scenarios, from what they need to win the group to what will send them home from the competition.

Feel free to use this as an aid as you enjoy the high-pressure and confusing action of each group's finale.

Without further ado, here is a guide to each nation's final group match in Euro 2012.

Russia

Where they stand now:  With four points, Russia sit at the top of Group A, one point, two points and three points clear of Czech Republic, Poland and Greece, respectively.

Who they have left:  Greece, seemingly the weakest side in the group.

Permutations:

• Win 
  • Win the group

• Draw
  • Czech Rep or Poland beat the other
    • Second in the group, advance to quarterfinals
  • Czech Rep and Poland draw
    • Win the group

• Loss by one or two goals
  • Czech Rep or Poland beat the other
    • Third in group, eliminated from competition
  • Czech Rep and Poland draw
    • Win the group

• Loss by three, four, or five goals
  • Czech Rep or Poland beat the other
    • Third in group, eliminated from competition
  • Czech Rep and Poland draw
    • Second in group, advance to quarterfinals

• Loss by six or more goals
  •  Third in group, eliminated from competition

Czech Republic

Where they stand now:  With three points, Czech Republic sit in second place in Group A, one point clear of Poland for a spot in the quarterfinals.

Who they have left:  Poland, the hosts of the tournament who are desperate for a win.

Permutations:

• Win
  • Russia loss or draw
    • Win the group
  • Russia win
    • Second in the group, advance to quarterfinals

• Draw
  • Russia win or draw
    • Second in the group, advance to quarterfinals
  • Russia loss by five or less goals
    • Third in group, eliminated from competition
  • Russia loss by six or more goals
    • Second in the group, advance to quarterfinals

• Loss
  • Eliminated from competition

Poland

Where they stand now: With two points, Poland sit third in Group A, one point behind Czech Republic and in need of a win.

Who they have left: Czech Republic, a side coming off a win over Greece.

Permutations:

• Win
  • Russia win
    • Second place in group, advance to quarterfinals
  • Russia draw or loss
    • Win group

• Draw or Loss
  •  Eliminated from competition

Greece

Where they stand now:  With one point, Greece sit in last place in Group A.  Yet, somehow, they have a fairly clear path out of the group.

Who they have left:  Russia, the current leaders of the group.

Permutations:

• Win by one or two goals
  • Second in the group, advance to quarterfinals

• Win by three or more goals
  • Czech Rep or Poland win over the other
    • Second in the group, advance to quarterfinals
  • Czech Rep and Poland draw
    • Win the group

• Draw or Lose
  • Eliminated from competition

Germany

Where they stand now:  With six points, Germany sit in first place in Group B.  Yet, somehow, they can still be eliminated from the competition.

Who they have left:  Denmark, who are in need of a result.

Permutations:

• Win or Draw
  • Win the group

• Loss by 1-0 or 2-1
  • Portugal Draw or Loss
    • Second in the group, advance to quarterfinals
  • Portugal Win
    • Eliminated from competition

• Loss by one goal, 3-2 or higher
  • Second in the group, advance to quarterfinals

• Loss by two or more goals
  • Eliminated from the competition

Portugal

Where they stand now:  With three points, Portugal sit second in Group B, a position that would qualify them for the quarterfinals.

Who they have left:  Netherlands, who have lost their first two matches.

Permutations:

• Win
  • Denmark wins by one, 3-2 or higher
    • Eliminated from the competition
  • Any other result in Germany-Denmark match
    • Advance to quarterfinals

• Draw
  • Denmark win
    • Eliminated from the competition
  • Denmark draw or loss
    • Second in the group, advance to the quarterfinals

• Loss by one
  • Denmark loss
    • Second in the group, advance to the quarterfinals
  • Denmark win or draw
    • Eliminated from the competition

• Loss by more than one
  • Eliminated from the competition

Denmark

Where they stand now:  With three points, Denmark sit third in Group B, level on points with second-placed Portugal.

Who they have left:  Germany, the only team in the competition to have won their first two matches.

Permutations:

• Win
  • Advance to quarterfinals

• Draw
  • Portugal Loss
    • Second in the group, advance to quarterfinals
  • Portugal Draw or Win
    • Eliminated from the competition

• Loss
  • Eliminated from the competition

Netherlands

Where they stand now:  With no points, Netherlands sit bottom of Group B.  Yet, somehow, they can still get out of the group at this point.

Who they have left:  Portugal, who are in need of a result.

Permutations:

• Win by two or more goals
  • Germany win
    • Second in the group, advance to the quarterfinals
  • Germany draw or loss
    • Eliminated from the competition

• Win by one goal, Draw, or Loss
  • Eliminated from the competition

Spain

Where they stand now:  With four points, Spain sit in first place in Group C, but level on points with Croatia.

Who they have left:  Croatia, who have looked very good thus far in the tournament.

Permutations:

• Win or Draw 2-2 or higher
  • Win the group

• Draw 0-0
  • Italy Win
    • Second in the group, advance to the quarterfinals
  • Italy Draw or Loss
    • Win the group

• Draw 1-1
  • Italy Win by five or more goals or by four goals, 5-1 or higher
    • Second in the group, advance to the quarterfinals
  • Italy Win by any other scoreline, Draw, or Loss
    • Win the group

• Loss
  • Italy Win
    • Eliminated from the competition
  • Italy Draw or Loss
    • Second in the group, advance to the quarterfinals

Croatia

Where they stand now:  With four points, Croatia sit second in Group C, level on points with group leaders Spain.

Who they have left:  Spain, the defending Euro and World Cup champions.

Permutations:

• Win
  • Win the group

• Draw 0-0
  • Italy Win
    • Eliminated from the competition
  • Italy Draw or Loss
    • Second in the group, advance to the quarterfinals

• Draw 1-1
  • Italy Win by three or more goals or two goals, 3-1 or higher
    • Eliminated from the competition
  • Italy Win by any other scoreline, Draw, or Loss
    • Second in the group, advance to the quarterfinals

• Draw 2-2 or higher
  • Second in the group, advance to the quarterfinals

• Loss
  • Italy Win
    • Eliminated from the competition
  • Italy Draw or Loss
    • Second in the group, advance to the quarterfinals

Italy

Where they stand now:  With two points, Italy sit third in Group C.  They seem in a good position to advance, but could be knocked out by a bit of collusion (a 2-2 draw in the Spain-Croatia match puts the Italians out); Euro 2004 memories must be flooding back.

Who they have left:  Ireland, who look the weakest side in the tournament.

Permutations:

• Win by five goals or more or four goals, 5-1 or higher
  • Croatia Win or Spain Win
    • Second in the group, advance to the quarterfinals
  • Spain and Croatia Draw 0-0 or 1-1
    • Win the group
  • Spain and Croatia Draw 2-2 or higher
    • Eliminated from the competition

• Win by two goals, 3-1 or higher, three goals, or 4-0
  • Croatia Win, Spain Win, or Croatia 1-1 Spain
    • Second in the group, advance to the quarterfinals
  • Spain and Croatia Draw 0-0
    • Win the group
  • Spain and Croatia Draw 2-2 or higher
    • Eliminated from the competition

• Win by one goal or 2-0
  • Croatia Win or Spain Win
    • Second in the group, advance to the quarterfinals
  • Spain and Croatia Draw 0-0
    • Win the group
  • Spain and Croatia Draw 1-1 or higher
    • Eliminated from the competition

• Draw or Loss
  • Eliminated from the competition

Ireland

Where they stand now:  With no points, Ireland sit last in Group C with no chance of progressing to the next stage of the competition.

Who they have left:  Italy, who needs a win.

Permutations:

Eliminated from the competition

France

Where they stand now:  With four points, France sit in first place in Group D, level on points with second-placed England.

Who they have left:  Sweden, who are already eliminated from the competition.

Permutations:

• Win
  • England win by two or more goals, or by one more goal while scoring at least as many as France does
    • Second in the group, advance to the quarterfinals
  • Any other result in the other match
    • Win the group

• Draw
  • England Win or Ukraine Win
    • Second in the group, advance to the quarterfinals
  • England and Ukraine Draw
    • Win the group

• Loss
  • England Win or Draw
    • Second in the group, advance to quarterfinals
  • England Loss by two less goals, or one less while scoring at least as many as France
    • Eliminated from the competition

England

Where they stand now:  With four points, England sit second in Group D, level on points with group leaders France.

Who they have left:  Ukraine, the co-hosts who must win to keep their tournament alive.

Permutations:

• Win
  • France Draw or Loss
    • Win the group
  • France Win by two or less goals than England's Win, or one less goal while scoring at most as many goals as England
    • Win the group
  • France Win by any other margin
    • Second in the group, advance to the quarterfinals.

• Draw
  • France Win or Draw
    • Second in the group, advance to the quarterfinals
  • France Loss
    • Win the group

• Loss
  • France Win or Draw
    • Eliminated from the competition
  • France Loss by two or more goals than England's loss, or one more goal while scoring at most as many goals as England
    • Second in the group, advance to the quarterfinals
  • France Loss by any other margin
    • Eliminated from the competition

Ukraine

Where they stand now:  With three points, the co-hosts sit third in Group D, one point behind both first and second in the group.

Who they have left:  England.

Permutations:

• Win
  • France Win
    • Second in the group, advance to the quarterfinals
  • France Draw or Loss
    • Win the group

• Draw or Loss
  • Eliminated from the competition

Sweden

Where they stand now:  With no points (despite leading in both matches), Sweden sit in last place in Group D with no chance of advancing through this stage of the competition.

Who they have left:  France, the group leaders.

Permutations:

Eliminated from the competition

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