Wooden Spoon

Ok so there’s been quite a lot of confusion about the mathematics of tonight’s crucial Group of Death decider, so we decided to crunch the numbers and give you a comprehensive rundown of all viable scenarios:

- If Romania beat Holland they will join them in the knockouts in second place.

- If Romania draw or lose, the winner from the Italy vs France clash will progress. France have no chance of qualifying unless they win.

- If Romania lose, and Italy vs France ends in a score draw, Italy will go through on a three way head-to-head because they will have scored more goals in the matches involving Romania and France.

- If Romania lose by 1-0, 2-0 or by a three goal margin other than 3-0, and the Italy vs France game finishes 0-0, then Romania will qualify ahead of Italy due to a better goal difference.

- If Romania lose by a four goal margin or bigger, and Italy vs France finishes 0-0, Italy will progress due to a better goal difference.

- If Romania lose 3-0, and Italy draw 0-0, the two teams will have an identical goal difference, but the Azzurri will go through as they have a better UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying co-efficient.

- If Romania win (and thus qualify), and Italy vs France is a draw, those two teams will then have to play a penalty shootout to decide who finishes third in the group.

For sheer amusement value, I kind of hope the last scenario pops up, just because the looks on the faces of both teams as they prepare for a humiliatingly pointless penalty shootout will be too much. That will almost sweeten the pill of our own miserable failures. Almost.