Could be a confusing night in Group C...

The European football governing body had suggested a shoot-out could be used to determine which of the two teams finishes bottom of the group.

But a Uefa official attempted to clear up the confusion over the matter.

"There is no way that France and Italy can go to a penalty shoot-out," a spokesman told BBC Sport.

The Netherlands have already secured top spot in the group but the other three teams in the so-called 'Group of Death' are still battling to clinch the other quarter-final berth.

A Romania victory would ensure their passage through to the knockout stages and effectively render the France-Italy game meaningless.

But on Monday it was claimed that should Romania go through and France and Italy draw then their group positions would be determined by a shoot-out.

However, Uefa has clarified that a penalty shoot-out would only be used to determine which team qualifies when two sides finish level on points and cannot be separated by goals scored.

Here is the official Uefa regulation:

"If two teams which have the same number of points, the same number of goals scored and conceded, play their last group match against each other and are still equal at the end of that match, the ranking of the two teams in question will be determined by kicks from the penalty mark, provided no other teams within the group have the same number of points on completion of all group matches."

Here, BBC Sport details what could happen on Tuesday:

The Netherlands have won Group C and will play the Group D runners-up in the quarter-finals.

Romania will qualify for the quarter-finals if they beat the Netherlands, eliminating France and Italy.

If Romania fail to beat the Netherlands, the winner of France v Italy will go through.

If France and Italy draw, a point against the Netherlands would be enough to send Romania through. France must win to have any chance of qualifying.

If France and Italy share a score draw (1-1, 2-2, 3-3 etc), Italy will go through if Romania lose (by any score). In this scenario, Italy, Romania and France will be level on two points each but Italy would have scored more goals in games between the 3 teams.

Romania will finish bottom of the group if they lose and France and Italy draw 2-2, 3-3 or 4-4. France will finish bottom if they draw 1-1 unless Romania lose 3-0 or by a four-goal margin.

606: DEBATE Who will qualify from Group C?

If France and Italy draw 0-0, Romania can lose by one goal, two goals or by a three-goal margin other than 3-0 but still qualify. In this scenario, Italy and Romania would have identical head-to-head records, but Romania would have better goal difference in ALL group matches or, in the case of the three-goal defeats, goals scored. France would finish bottom, having scored fewer goals head-to-head v Italy and Romania.

If Romania lose 3-0 to the Dutch, Italy would qualify with a 0-0 draw against France because of their superior coefficient points. France would finish bottom as they would have scored fewer goals head-to-head v Italy and Romania.

If Romania lose by four goals or more and the other game ends 0-0, Italy would proceed with a better overall goal difference than Romania. France would finish bottom as they would have scored fewer goals head-to-head v Italy and Romania.

If France and Italy draw AND Romania avoid defeat, then Romania go through.

  Go on Italy, was never in the least worried     







Edited by tirchonaill - 17 Jun 2008 at 4:01pm