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World Cup oddity 20:10 - Jun 25 with 1607 views

I think most people know that the final group games are played simultaneously to avoid what happened in 1982 when West Germany and Austria played out the score they needed to squeeze out Algeria on goal difference.

Fast forward to 2026 and we have the 8 highest ranking 3rd place teams going through. So although the final games in a group are played together, the 3rd place teams are essentially fighting it out with teams in other groups with the latter groups (J,K,L) having the advantage of knowing the score they need to progress.

Are you still awake? Hardcore - I'll continue...

It could well be that Groups J,K,L will know that 4 points will secure a place if they finish third in their group. If two teams have 3 points before their last match, they can basically knock the ball around their own half for 90 minutes just like back in 1982, potentially robbing the 9th ranked team of a place in the next round that they would have gained had the result been a win.

Which two teams have 3 points in Group J and can do this?

Austria and Algeria of course.

Yeah that was it. It just tickled me.

[Post edited 25 Jun 20:19]

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World Cup oddity on 20:12 - Jun 25 with 1560 views

RonFearonsHair

I think it's only fair that if they draw then Germany are automatically eliminated.

World Cup oddity on 20:18 - Jun 25 with 1530 views

Trequartista

World Cup oddity on 20:12 - Jun 25 by RonFearonsHair
I think it's only fair that if they draw then Germany are automatically eliminated.

Perhaps continue as East Germany as it was nothing to do with them.

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World Cup oddity on 20:22 - Jun 25 with 1506 views

Crock

I would find it hilarious if Austria got a late goal to win it.

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World Cup oddity on 20:27 - Jun 25 with 1490 views

BasingstokeBlue

Plus... the top two (automatical qualifiers) know who their opponents might be and could engineer that they face weaker opponents than they might have done.

The draw for the knock-out stages should be made after the qualifying stages, not set in stone from the word go.

>Rant over<

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World Cup oddity on 20:32 - Jun 25 with 1463 views

bluelagos

World Cup oddity on 20:27 - Jun 25 by BasingstokeBlue
Plus... the top two (automatical qualifiers) know who their opponents might be and could engineer that they face weaker opponents than they might have done. The draw for the knock-out stages should be made after the qualifying stages, not set in stone from the word go. >Rant over<

From a sporting angle I can see your point. But for the 1000s of travelling fans, it would be a logistical nightmare.

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World Cup oddity on 00:01 - Jun 26 with 1226 views

ITFCson

Another caveat of the Austria Algeria game being that whoever finishes 2nd likely play Spain and 3rd plays Switzerland. Austria will want to lose the game.

World Cup oddity on 06:35 - Jun 26 with 1086 views

franz_tyson

If it helps knock Scotland out.....

Then I'm OK with it.

World Cup oddity on 07:39 - Jun 26 with 1002 views

BlueBoots

World Cup oddity on 00:01 - Jun 26 by ITFCson
Another caveat of the Austria Algeria game being that whoever finishes 2nd likely play Spain and 3rd plays Switzerland. Austria will want to lose the game.

Let's hope one of the final matches plays out like this one did...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

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World Cup oddity on 12:29 - Jun 28 with 462 views

Trequartista

Well they did draw and secured Algeria's place, although perhaps 3-3 was not quite what i had in mind!

Edit - but looks like it nearly happened!

Amazing/Bizarre end to Algeria/Austria game. by ITFCson 28 Jun 11:34
Quite a bizarre/dramatic ending to the game. At 2-2 with 5 mins left it was being passed around the back with no pressing from Austria and no scoring intent from Algeria.

Finishing this way ensured Algeria progress and meet Switzerland and Austria play Spain. Had Austria won they also play Spain. If Algeria win they then play Spain.

So with 1 min left on the clock quite amazingly Algeria decide they want to try and score.

Did Algeria really wait 44 years and plan this kind of finish to try and avenge the events of Gijon and send Austria packing, because no other explanation makes sense. Surely they'd rather Switzerland in R32 rather than Spain - which in the end happened due to the late late Austrian Equalizer.

[Post edited 28 Jun 12:32]

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