That yellow card has had implications on where Slovenia will end up in the knockout stages
(Image credit: Alamy)
Alright, so of course the answer to the question is obviously 'no' - Slovenia haven't gone out of their way to try and game UEFA's system for deciding group placement when more conventional means fail. We're not talking about the Disgrace of Gijoin here.
Nonetheless, Slovenia have stumbled onto the most unconventional ways two sides have every been separated in the group stage. Their head-to-head record, goal difference and goals scored were all exactly identical with Denmark's in Group B, while their disciplinary records on the pitch were also the same...but it was an off-pitch booking that meant Denmark got the edge to finish second.
Denmark would actually have finished second in the group if they could not be separated from Slovenia on the disciplinary record, by virtue of their superior qualifying ranking.
Slovenia coach booking gave Denmark second place in Group C (kind of)
Clement Turpin brandishes a yellow card during England vs Slovenia (Image credit: Getty Images)
But it didn't quite get that far because, although the two sides both had the same number of players booked (six apiece, with no red cards), Slovenia also had assistant coach Milivoje Novakovic booked during the second half of their goalless draw against England in their final game of the group stage.
We're sure there were rampant celebrations around Copenhagen after that yellow card was shown, because that was about as much excitement as we got in either of the two goalless draws in the dullest group of the entire tournament. Thanks a lot, UEFA.
The benefits of who finished where are questionable, mind: the Danes will now progress to face Germany in the round of 16, while Slovenia will face either Group F winners Portugal or the winners of the clear-as-mud Group E, where all four sides currently hold three points.
Euro 1992 winners Denmark were surprise semi-finalists at Euro 2020, missing out on a place in the final after losing to England in extra time.
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Slovenia will meanwhile play in the knockout stages of a major tournament for the very first time in their history as an independent nation after securing passage by drawing all of their group games.
Serbia were meanwhile eliminated as the bottom side in the group after losing to England in their opening game and - as you will no doubt have inferred if you did not know already - drawing against Denmark and Slovenia.
Steven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication, WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.
