All matches of the second round of the Euro group stage concluded early this morning, resulting in three teams – Germany, Spain, and Portugal – directly qualifying for the next round, along with one team, Poland, that has been eliminated. The remaining qualification and elimination scenarios will be determined after the third round.
So far, Germany, Spain, and Portugal are the only teams to have won both their opening matches, securing their spots in the knockout phase. Spain and Portugal, due to their head-to-head records, can even guarantee first-place finishes. Hosts Germany will battle Switzerland tonight for the top spot in Group A.
Poland, after losing to the Netherlands and Austria, is now out of contention. Even if they defeat France in the final match and Austria loses to the Netherlands, Poland’s inferior head-to-head record would leave them in fourth place, thus eliminating them from the European Championship.
Following yesterday’s games, Group E now sees four teams tied on three points each, all with one win and one loss. In theory, the team that wins in the final round will advance, although draws could still occur.
The UEFA’s real-time standings for third-place teams show Scotland in Group A and the Czech Republic in Group F at the bottom, suggesting that these two teams might also miss out on the knockout stage if the current situation persists.
This evening, the third round of group matches continues with Germany vs. Switzerland and Hungary vs. Scotland. These fixtures will see another team being eliminated.