DENMARK FINISH SECOND IN GROUP C AND ADVANCE TO THE KNOCKOUT STAGES DUE TO LITTLE-KNOWN TIEBREAKER AS THEY FINISHED LEVEL ON POINTS WITH SLOVENIA
- Denmark drew 0-0 with Serbia on the final day of Group C action while Slovenia also played out a goalless draw against England
- Due to a result back in November the Danes finish second in the group while Slovenia are in third
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Group C wasn't pretty by any means, as all three teams struggled to impress in any of their opening games of Euro 2024.
So it is perhaps a very fitting end to the group that the finest of all margins separates second and third.
In fact, the factor that determined whether Denmark or Slovenia finished in second didn't actually take place at this year's tournament.
Heading into the final game of the group stages, both teams found themselves level on points, goal difference, goals scored and conceded as well as their disciplinary record.
The head-to-head disciplinary record was looking good for Slovenia as the Danes picked up two first-half yellow cards to Slovenia's one.
At that point Matjaz Kek's side were on their way to the knockouts as second place finishers.
But there was still one more twist to come in this unbelievably tight race to finsish as runners up.
Jaka Bijol was the second Slovenian to be booked on the night in the 72nd minute and that would change everything.
With everything being equal it would come down to where their finished in their qualifying group.
A scenario made far easier as Denmark and Slovenia both came through the same qualifying group.
Determined to make things even more complicated the two sides actually finished level on points in that group as well.
Denmark eventually pipped Slovenia to second place in Group C at Euro 2024 thanks to a goal by Thomas Delaney all the way back in November 2023.
The 2-1 Denmark victory in Copenhagen would provide pivotal here as it was the head-to-head tiebreaker that saw Denmark finish above Slovenia.
Not even in his wildest dreams could Kasper Hjulmand imagine that a 54th minute winner by Thomas Delaney would have such a big role to play at the tournament the following the summer.
And it was a goal that just about summed up the scrap for second place in Group C.
A corner whipped in to the back post by Matthias Jensen was headed back towards goal and what followed was an almighty scramble of head tennis as Slovenia failed to clear.
There was only one person in the box who showed any composure and when the ball fell to Delaney no more than eight yards out, he was the calmest person in the stadium as he controlled the ball neatly with his thigh before slotting home.
It is a result that the Danes can reflect on even more fondly now as it became the reason they advanced to the knockout stages of Euro 2024.
Read more 2024-06-25T23:29:02Z dg43tfdfdgfd