The Group C table going into these final matches favours Spain and Croatia who have both one win and one draw to their credit. Italy have to beat the Republic of Ireland to stand a chance of going forward, and given Ireland's performance in the last match against Spain, that doesn't seem to be too much to ask. All eyes on Spain, who, along with Germany, are one of the favourites to reach the final. They scored four goals against Ireland which gives them the momentum to keep their hold at the top of the table.
Croatia vs Spain and Italy vs Republic of Ireland (Group C)
Published by Christine Blachford on
Evening.
This covers the possibilities: The winner of the game between CRO & SPA will qualify top of the group.
The loser would go out if ITA win.
A 2-2 (or higher) in the CROvSPA game will send both through.
And if working that out is too taxing, the updating tables link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/european-championship/2012/groups-schedule
The BBC's Spain Croatia preview has been all about Ireland!
I know! Makes a change from constantly talking about ENG though.
When you put it like that.... Yes!
Spoke too soon!
... ohh wait!
What's the match-choice tonight?
I'll probably go for Italy v Ireland, because I have a massive soft spot for the Italians.
Hello.
I was looking at the Knockout stage section of that page earlier, and it all seems to be set up for a Germany v Spain final.
It would be AWESOME if Spain won the tournament, I just don't think they will!
I have Spain Croatia on the big tv and Italy Ireland on the iPad.
Likewise
Of course Spain would have to win the group today, else they'll meet in the SFs.
I'll be watching whichever one is on telly
Torres scoring that winning goal seems so long ago now.
Or is it BBC? I haven't switched it on yet (I haven't got ITV4)
BBC1 & 3
Ah ok I'll hop between them maybe
1 - CROvSPA
3 - ITAvIRE
No dual screen or iPad setup? Sick of watching multiple screens after this weekend? ;)
At least each player & the ref aren't wearing a head-cam each, giving us 23 extra streams to keep track of.
Oh look, it's former formula one presenter jake Humphrey ;)
Heheh, more than I'm not too bothered about the result of either game, on the face of it they seem like wins for Spain and Italy.
Traitor. *glares*
That would be five pints of awesome!
At least you get to see the goals from the other game ;)
Yesterday ITV played the other game's goals to us within a couple of minutes, assuming BBC will do it here.
Theyre presenting Croatia as lambs to the slaughter now!
They didn't do that on Danish tv.
I'm enjoying the crowd shot from the Italy Ireland game!
Looks like they are playing Guess-Who with the teams.
As much as I like them, I can't bear to watch the Ireland game. The last one was so depressing!
The ITAs have to win, so i doubt there'll be much to cheer about for them tonight.
Spain vs. Croatia. Thank god it's not lawro!
Forza Ferrari
Evening all
Spain - Croatia for me. At least to start with
Different formation for ITA, does that mean no libero?
Wonder what the odds are on a 2-2 that would put Spain and Croatia through and Italy out
Ahh, the biscotto.
That having been said, IRE could embarrass ITA and the other 2 would go through anyway.
My dual screen setup for tonight : http://t.co/cs4NY6Jw
I don't see that happening but it is possible
Got some of those in the cupboard!
Haha - it's named because of the way the Italians used to fix horse races - by giving them drugs on a biscuit.
Hello everybody.
Hi
So I heard.
I've gone with the Croatia Spain match since it has more riding on it.
Incidentally I am playing two pok the scores games and have done rubbish at those so far!
Hi.
I didn't know if it needed explaining - Lineker didn't tell us.
Commenting on the iPhone is hard because the pending comments button is massive and covers the text box!
No harm in repeating it ;)
:)
Anyone watching the Italy game? They've started quite badly.
Bloody flares. How are they getting through security?
Average. IRE are doing a lot better for once.
Pride is a funny thing.
Here is to hoping the Irish but them out.
BOO! HISS!
Are the ITAs cheating already? Sore ankle awww :(
But wasn't the word I was meaning to use. I'm not sure how I typed that.
*put?
hullo. did ya miss me?
Must have been that.
No
Who are you? ;)
:)
Have you not been here all the time?
...oh.
what game are we watching (please don't say both)
i love a warm welcome :)
Is showing up here ever make you think something like, "Who are all these people in my living room?!"
Spain
Italy look far worse for their 4-4-2 formation.
can't believe someone split wine on the sofa again.
cool.
Not me - I'm drinking beer tonight.
What's in the fridge is fair game, right?
Phew, IRE close with that cross
Wow. Croatia's GK is the least experienced of all four playing tonight- only the 94 caps.
if you can cook it, you can have it ;)
Christine's pretty safe there then ;)
I've decided to stick with the Ireland game, the underdogs, and they're looking likely to score (now watch as the other game gets a goal first!)
Yeesh that was straight up.
Spanish gid are always slow burners!
Also I had a lovely mackerel salad, summer food, in an attempt bring on the sun.
Yay for mackerel.
So I can watch this game first half and that game second half :)
Sounds like a good plan!
Wait, what did he get yellow carded for?
That was a great tackle!
If Ireland had played like this against Spain and Croatia this group could look so different.
Spain lucky they didn't give away a penalty
Did he just get called David Villa - not Silva?
They should call the Poznan the chronic neck problem.
Ooh good try Italy
Nice bloc IRE
Seeing as ITA are increasing the pressure, CRO look like they're going to be threatened.
Right, I'm in and settled. Croatia's chequerboard tops are boggling my eyes.
Goal IT
GOAL Italy, that looked quite messy
There is a yellow man on the line
So is it that Croatia now have to score to go through?
I'm obv 10 sec behind on the ITAvIRE game online - so I could watch the goal as if it was a replay.
Yes.. or if Ireland score then Spain and Croatia go through
Or SPA and CRO draw 2-2 (or more) they both go through regardless of ITA's result
I get ya.
They need to get a wriggle on!
Kind of live updating group tables http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/european-championship/2012/groups-schedule
In theory they update in realtime but usually it takes two or three minutes after a goal is scored
Ooh, handy.
Someone just shared a picture of a sign on my fb that reads: Pubs, the official sunblock of Ireland.
:)
there's no sun in ireland
:D
One of the Spanish people keeps putting up their hand like, "I'm open, I'm open."
No one is passing to him. :(
Do they get told the score of the other game at half time?
Yup - and they'll get shouted the score as it goes if it affects them.
I'd imagine so.
The crowd will let them know very quickly :)
What if they were planning to record the match to watch it later?
Spoilers!
The table that the BBC put up there is different to their website, and they've changed their minds on the intricacies of the tie-breaking.
doh! i thought i followed it too.
If they don't know, how are we meant to keep up? :)
I am, for my sins, using Internet Explorer atm. OH GOD IT IS AWFUL.
Mr C forced my to download it twice so I could test stuff. He wasn't prepared to have it on his Mac even briefly to test stuff
the shame!
true story.
The Danish team have arrived home to a heroes welcome.
How to brak a tie. I haven't read it and I won't be. TV can tell me who gets through and why
http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/news/newsid=1818000.html
Much better with the link
eek
There must be an easier way to do it!
If the 3 teams remain tied (SPA, ITA, CRO) then only matches between them are used to create the mini-table: SPAvITA, ITAvCRO, CROVSPA. The mini-table is sorted on points, goal-diff, goals scored (only in those 3 matches).
So, because they are all on 5 points, we go to the mini-table, now they are all on 2 points, have 0 goal diff, then ITA have the most goals scored so are top. Then SPA and CRO look back to the whole table, the goal diff is the same, so are separated by the goals scored in the whole league, SPA with more go 2nd.
That works (at the moment).
Goal difference then goals scored then head to head
I think that might've been added to because over so few matches, there isn't generally a lot of difference so they can end up with ties even after all that. I can see the benefits of this method, one of them is not having to work it all out.
Ok, I've got to go teach a bunch of middle school kids to photoshop.
Yeesh Do they factor in GDP and standing within the euro zone too?
Have fun
Spain look on fire tonight.
I'm glad you are on top of it!
I'll re-explain it if it changes, but shouldn;t get any harder than that (please).
It will all clear up when Spain finally score.
Except that if any one of the four teams scores one goal everything changes
I think it makes the table easier though :)
shot!
Save
Great cross by Modric with the outside of his right foot
Ooh, goalie under pressure!
I think we decided the other day that he is the best GK in the world.
Spain really seem to be missing David Villa this time around.
The evidence I have seen so far would back that up.
*or Croatia.
*or IRE.
Hahaha!
I like a good joke ;)
Anyone listening when they explained why IRE are wearing armbands?
No
"to commemorate the 18th anniversary of shootings in Northern Ireland that killed six people"
Do tell!
alonso's friend is watching - http://instagr.am/p/MBvv8TQamC/
The shootings happened in a village while they were watching IRE play ITA in WC92.
Apparently the Irish and are singing their own version of the 'he scores when he wants' chant that mocks Roy keane.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loughinisland_massacre
I saw Dara O'Briain tweet the words
Something to do with Keane telling them they shouldn't sing so much ...
:)
Keane had a rant the other night about players going on about how great the fans were and how they should only be discussing how bad their own performances were.. Went on about how fans don't matter. No way would he have said that about Man U fans
Spain should get the cushion before they try to play tiki-taka #backheel (Sorry MrC, I know you like them)
He said that the fans shouldn't cheer because Ireland were poor and they have to change the way they think. Sounded harsh to me.
i do :)
If they were quiet he would be saying they should try to lift their team
It's Roy Keane isn't it? I guess that's why itv wanted him as a pundit.
I'm just waiting for him to kick the table over and kill Chiles.
great defending by croatia.
Can't wait.
At least you could understand that. Trapatoni had a go at him for having achieved nothing as a manager and he tried to claim a few good results at Sunderland. Hardly compares to Trap's record
weak shot though.
Iker to the rescue again. Spain need to get the finger out
5 against 3 and Spain never looked like scoring.
1 CRO goal could change everything, and saying the IRE are piling on the pressure in the other match.
They will never get a better chance in their lives
i love this two games as one.
Gives us so much more to talk about - so much more jeopardy.
That guy's name is just Eduardo. He's so Madonna.
i want this in motorsport too. no idea how tho.
It's the best part about the final group game - one can directly affect the other!
Two races that somehow affect each other. Closest you get is when you get a huge entry in a class and the field is split in half for quali
Odd qualifiers one half, even the other, 2 parallel races some how (build an exact backwards track copy next to the real one) then combine it all somehow).
See - I can do Bernie's job for him.
can't fault CRO for trying.
I want this to be like the last day of the league season where one match finishes and the teams have to hang about on the pitch because they need the other game to finish so they know who finishes where
Indeed.
bah
great setup though
GOAL SPA !!
Spain score. Looked like it had to be offside
need a replay
WELL OFFSIDE!
Definitely onside
eh?
Onside
SPA, ITA | CRO, IRE
fair enough :)
The player who got the ball was onside. The second player with him is not active so is onside. He is onside by the time the first player passes the ball to him so it is a good goal
FINALLY.
ahhhh! thought it was anyone, when the ball was kicked. makes sense.
It used to be like that.
Even though he is in an offside position
Did used to be
RED for IRE
ITA GOAL ??
The clarified it and made it ten times more complicated.
More like F1 than you thought
really is :)
Beaut by Balotelli
Goal Italy.
Really was
How does he get onside when he gets the ball, by being behind the first player?
Not as good as Welbeck's though
yup (or level)
c'mon croatia
By being behind the ball. The ball is the important thing
Bah. Now I can no longer say I understand the offside rule. Stoopid game.
The thing is no-one in the world now understands all the possibilities of it. I have seen people who have been going to games for 50 years arguing with each other about offside
gool keeper chances ends.
CRO all hands to the pump for their last throw of the dice
gah. love the tension.
game over.
All over: SPA & ITA through.
loved that so much. can we do it again?
Two favourites through even though it looked unlikely for a while.
Tomorrow night
yay!
Which match are we watching tomorrow?
England - Ukraine
Sweden - France
hehe
I wasn't into the games themselves but the tension was there. The maths ruined it a bit, I preferred yesterday when I understood what was going on!
Tomorrow is easy: win!!
That is the argument I always make about F1. People need to understand what is going on
England must win tomorrow. Whoever finishes 2nd in tomorrow's group plays Spain in the quarters. We don't wanna be doing that. Got to win to play Croatia.
Italy not Croatia
Win the group I mean
Oh yeah Italy
That might make it harder, depends which Italy shows up?
Or which England shows up :)
Both!
Main tv will be on england though.
Perfect explanation of the onside/offside debate on BBC
I have a scary feeling ukraine will win tomorrow.
Makes a change!
Damn, I missed it!
+2
Oh I was busy ignoring them and reading Twitter
They may show it again. Either that or iplayer later
IRE don't need to worry after finishing with 0 pts, same as NET.
Is David moyes capable of smiling?
Ooh it must almost be time to see if the England players have had another haircut!
He is practising for Fergie's job. If Fergie sees him smiling he won't get it
The BBC might not hype it too much as they've not got it tomorrow
cheers for all the comments, catch ya for more of the same tomorrow.
You were right!
Thanks guys. Byee.
I keep forgetting to post this
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport/euro-2012-commentary-cliche-bingo-163059072.html