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      Does third place qualify for Euro 2020’s last 16 knockout stage?

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      TWENTY-FOUR teams are competing against each other in the hope of becoming champions of Europe.And as Portugal proved in 2016, you CAN finish third in your group and go on to take home the trophy.
      Scotland could finish third and qualifyCredit: The Sun
      The top two from each group will go on to compete in the knockout stages of the competition.
      The 12 teams that go through do not make up the numbers to meet the requirements of the Round of 16, so who does?
      Does third place qualify for Euro 2020 knockout stages?
      Yes, finishing third does lead to qualification for the knockout stages but only for four of the best third-placed teams.
      All of the teams that finish third in the group stages of the Euros are put into a table.
      And their position in the table is determined firstly by how many points they picked up in the group stages.
      But if the teams cannot be separated by points, whichever team has the highest goal difference finishes higher up the table.
      If the table cannot be decided through points or goal difference, it then goes to the number of goals scored in the group stages.

      An unlikely hero in Eder popped up in the 109th minute to score the winning goal in the Euro 2016 finalCredit: GETTY IMAGES
      Eder’s goal stunned favourites FranceCredit: GETTY IMAGES
      And if the first three fail to separate the teams, it then goes to fair play conduct, followed by the team’s Uefa ranking.
      The procedures are as follows:

      Higher number of points obtained;
      Superior goal difference;
      Higher number of goals scored
      Fair play conduct;
      Position in the Uefa national team coefficient ranking system.

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      Portugal qualified for the knockout stages of Euro 2016 via the third-placed route after drawing all three of their group games against Hungary, Iceland and Albania.
      The Navegadores scraped their way through to the final of the competition, only winning one game inside 90 minutes against Wales in the semi-finals.
      And when they met home nation France in the final, an unlikely hero in Eder popped up in extra time to score the only goal of the game causing a massive upset.
      Portugal announce incredible Euro 2020 squad More

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      Euro 2020 3rd place table: Who is going through and who is going out as things stand?

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      EURO 2020 is hotting up with the group stage reaching its final round of fixtures.But the draw for the last 16 is complicated by the fact that fans must wait to see which teams finish third in each group.
      Switzerland finished third in Group ACredit: Getty – Pool
      At this tournament, the four best third placed teams will qualify for the last 16, along with all first and second placed nations.
      Euro 2020 third place table
      The third place slots at Euro 2020 are currently occupied by Switzerland, Finland, Austria, Croatia, Spain and Portugal.
      The Swiss have played all their three group games and now sit top of the third place table on four points, but they must now wait for the other results to come in.
      As things stand, a couple of big hitters are set to go out in Croatia and Spain.
      The Croats know they have to beat Scotland at Hampden Park to have any chance of qualifying, and vice-versa.
      Spain meanwhile know it is highly likely they will have to beat Slovakia to go through, but there are some scenarios in which a draw could be enough.
      Spain and Croatia are currently the third placed teams that would miss out on qualification
      Have England qualified for the Euro 2020 last 16?
      England have not yet qualified for the Euro 2020 last 16 but could do so as soon as tonight.
      For the Three Lions to go through tonight, the Group C match between Ukraine and Austria needs to have a winner.
      Should that happen, England will progress if either Finland lose to Belgium or Denmark beat Russia.
      The only way England could be knocked out at the group stage is if they lose to the Czech Republic and Scotland beat Croatia with a four-goal swing.
      That would leave England in third place and waiting on the completion of the other group games. More

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      Are Euro 2020 groups decided on head-to-head record or goal difference?

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      THIS summer’s Euros is in full swing with 24 teams battling against each other to earn the right to be European champions. We have now reached the third round of group games as we find out who is going through and who will be on the plane home.
      Patrick Schick scores for Czech Republic against ScotlandCredit: PA
      The top two teams go straight through to the knockout stages of the competition.
      But they will also be joined by four of the best 3rd placed teams.
      Portugal back in 2016, finished 3rd in their group behind both Hungary and Iceland, but qualified for the knockout stages and even went on to win the competition!
      But are the group stages sorted by goal difference or head-to-head? Well, we’ve got you covered.

      Are Euro 2020 groups sorted by goal difference or head-to-head?
      If two or more teams finish level on points after having played all three group stage games, head-to-head record will decide which team finishes higher.
      This means that if three teams finish level on points, their position in the group will be decided exclusively on results against each other, with games against the fourth team being almost irrelevant.

      Goal difference will only come into play if teams can’t be separated by their head-to-head record.
      The head-to-head system is used to sort teams level on points across all Uefa competitions.
      This is in contrast to the World Cup, and all Fifa competitions, in which goal difference sorts teams level on points. More

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      How can Scotland qualify for Euro 2020 last 16?

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      SCOTLAND have picked up a valuable point on the road against England.Steve Clarke’s men were beaten 2-0 at home by the Czech Republic in their opening match at Hampden as Patrik Schick scored from the halfway line.
      Scotland still have a chance of qualifying for the Euro 2020 last 16Credit: Getty
      But all is not lost after a battling performance at the Home of Football, leaving all to play for.
      How can Scotland qualify for the Euro 2020 last 16?
      Scotland’s chances of qualifying are boosted by the fact that the best four third placed teams from the six groups will progress to the last 16.
      However, they are not helped by the fact that head-to-head record is the first method used to split teams level on points in Uefa competitions.
      That means if Scotland were to finish level on points with the Czech Republic, the Czechs would be placed higher in the group because of their 2-0 win.

      For Scotland to be certain of qualification, they must finish second.
      For that to happen, the Scots must beat Croatia and hope the Czech Republic beat England by enough of a margin to secure a four-goal swing against the Three Lions.
      However, the Scots can qualify if they finish as one of the four best third placed teams.
      That means they must win against the Croats and wait on other results.
      Should Scotland fail to beat Croatia, they will be eliminated regardless of what happens in the other games.

      At Euro 2016, the lowest ranked third placed team to qualify from their group was Northern Ireland.
      They finished with three points and a goal difference of zero. More

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      Who is Ukraine vs Austria referee Cuneyt Cakır and how many international tournaments has Euro 2020 ref officiated at?

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      TURKEY are out of Euro 2020 after failing to pick up a single point.But experienced referee Cuneyt Cakir will also be representing the country all summer long.
      Cuneyt Cakir is now hairless as he takes charge of Euro 2020 gamesCredit: AP
      Cuneyt Cakir has sent off various Premier League players in Europe over the last decade, including Nani, John Terry, Steven Gerrard and Gary Cahill.Who is Cuneyt Cakır?
      A MEMBER of Uefa’s Elite group of referees, Cakir is a no-nonsense whistler renowned for being a strict enforcer.
      He has sent off various Premier League players over the past decade, including Nani, John Terry, Steven Gerrard and Gary Cahill.
      Born in 1976, the Turk has taken charge of more than 200 Super Lig games – including numerous meetings between notorious rivals Fenerbahce and Galatasaray.
      He has reffed in European competition since 2006 and first appeared on the international scene in 2010.
      The disciplinarian will happily dish out cardsCredit: AFP or licensors
      In 2012 he was appointed as fourth official in the Euro 2012 final, between Spain and Italy, and three years later took charge of the Champions League final.
      Cakir famously sent off Keith Andrews at Euro 2012 after insisting that the Irishman move back an extra couple of inches in his defensive wall.
      And shortly after he was at it again, dismissing Gerrard in a World Cup qualifier against Ukraine.
      Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir stirred up a fierce reaction from fans on social media with his performance as England lost 2-1 to Croatia in the World Cup semi-finalCredit: AFP or licensors
      In the 2017/18, he was given the high profile Champions League semi-final clash between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
      And he capped it off by taking charge of the World Cup semi-final between England and Croatia.
      But Cuneyt was slammed as “biased” and “embarrassing” by Three Lions fans, as some social media critics even called for a Fifa investigation.
      He was accused of favouring Croatia as they ran out 2-1 winners and broke English hearts.
      Cakir has previously reffed at Euro 2012, World Cup 2014, Euro 2016 and World Cup 2018.
      Which Euro 2020 games is he taking charge of?
      Cuneyt Cakir took charge of Hungary vs Portugal and will referee the winner-take-all clash between Ukraine and Austria. More

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      Who is North Macedonia vs Netherlands referee Istvan Kovacs and what other games is he taking charge of at Euro 2020?

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      PE TEACHER Istvan Kovacs will be used to brushing away any nonsense from footballers – given he deals with rowdy pupils in his day job.The 36-year-old has been included in a strong Romanian delegation for Euro 2020.
      Istvan Kovacs shows Igor Shitov a red card during Astana’s Champions League qualifier against Celtic in 2016Credit: RUSSELL CHEYNE
      The tournament will provide educator with the biggest exam of his career so far as he makes his debut in a senior international competition.
      Kovacs was recently promoted by Uefa to their cohort of ‘elite referees’ providing the Romanian with recognition for his outstanding performances with the whistle.
      Appointed as a Fifa referee in 2010, Kovacs has grown in stature and regularly officiates in the Champions League.
      Where did his career begin?
      Kovacs, a native of Carei, grew up a sports fanatic and turned his attention to officiating from a young age.
      After following his dream, he was appointed as a professional referee in his homeland ahead of the 2007/08 season.
      In his debut season Kovac officiated 17 Romanian top flight fixtures and within three years he taking charge of Europa League matches.
      How long did he ref in the Middle East?
      Between 2001 and 2018 Kovacs was invited to referee outside of Romania and officiated league games in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
      Kovac’s firm officiating style has seen him brandish 149 red cards so far in his 14-year professional career.

      This season, he refereed Manchester United’s Europa League quarter final second leg win against Granada and Celtic’s 4-1 group stage mauling at the hands of Sparta Prague.
      What games is he taking charges of at Euro 2020?
      Kovacs is taking charge of the Group C clash between North Macedonia and Holland on June 21.
      It remains to be seen if he is given a gig for the group stages. More

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      Euro 2020 Group B LIVE TABLE AND STANDINGS: Belgium, Denmark, Russia and Finland could ALL play Wales in last 16

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      DENMARK head into their final group game against Russia looking for a victory to qualify for Christian Eriksen.The Danes have lost both their opening games, after being forced to resume their game against Finland following Eriksen’s collapse and being narrowly beaten by Belgium.
      Kevin de Bruyne inspired Belgium to victory in DenmarkCredit: AP
      Belgium enter the final round of matches having already qualified and will look to secure top spot.
      Finland meanwhile, have a chance of qualifying as group winners if they surprise the Belgians, but could also finish bottom and go out.
      The second placed team in Group B will play Wales in the last 16, and that could still be any one of the four teams.
      Group B live table

      How many teams qualify from Euro 2020 Group B?
      A minimum of two teams will qualify from Euro 2020 Group B.
      The best four third placed teams will also progress to the knockout stages.

      Group B fixtures and results
      Saturday, June 12
      Denmark 0 Finland 1
      Belgium 3 Russia 0
      Thursday, June 17
      Finland 0 Russia 1
      Denmark 1 Belgium 2
      Monday, June 21
      Russia vs Denmark (8pm) – Copenhagen
      Finland vs Belgium (8pm) – St Petersburg More

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      Argentina vs Paraguay FREE: Live stream, TV channel, team news and kick-off time for crucial Copa America clash

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      ARGENTINA take on Paraguay in their third Copa America 2021 match-up of the tournament this evening. Lionel Messi and his team-mates drew their first game but beat Uruguay in their last clash, while Paraguay won their opening match against Bolivia.
      Lionel Messi will be looking to make it three unbeaten for Argentina vs ParaguayCredit: AP
      What time does Argentina vs Paraguay kick-off?

      Argentina’s clash with Paraguay will kick-off in the early hours of Tuesday, June 22 at 1am UK time.
      The game will take place at the Garrincha Stadium in Brasilia, Brazil.
      There will be a limited number of fans in the stadium because of coronavirus restrictions.

      What channel is it and can it be live streamed?

      Argentina vs Paraguay will be shown LIVE on the BBC iPlayer.
      You can live stream the event from the BBC iPlayer app, which is available for download onto your mobile, tablet device or Smart TV.

      Can I watch for FREE?

      Yes, the game is available for FREE on the BBC iPlayer, so long as you have a TV licence.

      Team news
      Lionel Messi will once again lead the line for his country, having brilliantly set up the winning goal in the win over Uruguay last week.
      Guido Rodriguez will probably start following his winner against Uruguay.
      Nicolas Otamendi is likely to start at the back with Christian Romero.
      For Paraguay, they can expect Angel Romero to start up top, while Junior Alonso should play his part in a back four.
      Odds

      Argentina – 40/85
      Draw- 29/10
      Paraguay – 7/1

      *Odds courtesy of Betfair and correct at time of publication. More