The one team that has already been eliminated from Euro 2024 despite having one more game to play

One team has already been eliminated from Euro 2024 despite having one game left to play.

After two match days Euro 2024 has certainly been a tournament to remember, largely because many of the games have been competitive and entertaining affairs.

Spain and Portugal are the only two sides to have secured top spot in their groups, but one side have already been eliminated.

After losing 3-1 to Austria on Friday evening, Poland were left sweating on the result of Netherlands vs France.

That match ended in a goalless draw, the first goalless draw in the European Championship since England’s stalemate with Scotland back in 2021.

Xavi Simons thought he had given the Netherlands the lead late in the game only for the goal to controversially be ruled out after it was deemed Denzel Dumfries had impacted on the play.

And that decision proved deeply costly for Poland, who needed France to lose in order to stay in the competition. They have now been eliminated despite having a match against the French left to play.

That's because the top two teams in each group go through to the round of 16, along with the four best third-place sides. The ranking of the third-placed teams is first determined by points, then goal difference, followed by goals scored, wins, lower disciplinary points and finally European qualifiers overall ranking.

Friday’s draw saw the Netherlands top the group, level on four points with second-place France, while Austria sit in third on three points.

Poland, on zero points, are now eliminated despite being able to catch Austria’s points tally should they defeat France in their final game.

This is because, having lost to Austria, Poland can no longer overtake them, as head-to-head is being used to seperate teams that are level on points in the group.

Indeed, at Euro 2024 if teams are equal on points, they will first be separated by head-to-head points, then head-to-head goal difference, followed by head-to-head goals scored.

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