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When teams have the same amount of points after three matches of the group stage, a series of tiebreakers are employed - and they could have huge implications on the final standings of Group G should England and Belgium play to a draw on Thursday.
- The 2018 World Cup is about to head to the knockout bracket, with teams currently jockeying for position in the final matches of the group stage.
- At the end of the group stage, tiebreakers will be employed to determine the standings in a group should the teams at the top of the table have the same amount of points.
- While the first tiebreakers are relatively standard (goal differential, goals scored), England and Belgium could see the winner of their group determined by the amount of discipline the teams have received, or even a random drawing.
The 2018 World Cup is nearing the end of the group stage of the tournament, with teams vying for position with hopes of either winning the group or at the very least escaping to move on to the knockout round.
With teams playing just three games in the group stage, it's not uncommon for there to be ties amongst the group. When that's the case, FIFA turns to a series of tiebreakers to determine the standings - a necessary but sometimes cruel reality for teams on the losing end.
Here is a complete breakdown of how the standings of the group stage are determined, starting with points and working its way all the way down to a random drawing:
- Greatest number of points obtained in all group matches;
- Goal difference in all group matches;
- Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches.
- Greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned;
- Goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned;
- Greater number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned;
- Greater number of points obtained in the fair play conduct of the teams based on yellow and red cards received in all group matches;
- Drawing of lots by the FIFA.
Like in many leagues and competitions, goal differential is the first statistic used when looking to break a tie in the standings, and in many cases, differential or the next tiebreaker, total goals scored, is enough to put one team ahead of another.
But if teams are tied on points, differential, and goals scored, things begin to get more complicated, as could potentially be the case should Belgium and England draw on Thursday.
As things stand, Belgium and England are tied atop Group G with six points apiece. Further, both teams have a goal differential of +6, with eight goals for and two goals against them, failing to break the tie between the two teams with criteria 1-3 listed above.
Should either team beat the other on Thursday, it's a simple solution - the winner will win the group with nine points, and the loser will advance as the runner-up with six points. But if England and Belgium play to a draw, the teams will remain tied on points, goal differential and goals scored.
This would mean that the winner of the group would be determined by "points obtained in the fair play conduct," which essentially amounts to the number of times each team has been given with yellow and red cards throughout the tournament.
Here's how different fouls are scored for the the tiebreaker:
- Yellow card: -1
- Red card for two cautions: -3
- Straight red card: -4
- Yellow card and straight red card: -5
The team with the "greater" (less negative) score would win the tiebreaker - as things stand, England is ahead of Belgium, with a score of -2 thanks to two yellow cards, compared to Belgium's -3 on three yellows. Should England pick up another yellow card en route to a draw between the teams, the winner of the group would be determined by a "drawing of lots."
In an odd twist of events, coming in second in the group might technically be the more advantageous position at the moment, as the runners-up side of the bracket looks to be shaping up easier than the side that will host the winner Group G.
That said, there's a long way to go before we know where every team will end up in the bracket, so that could change by the time England and Belgium kick off on Thursday.
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