On 18th June, people from all over the UK sat down to watch Scotland take on England in their first competitive tournament for years and the first competitive derby for even longer.
Though the game was hardly the most exhilarating 90 minutes of football, the draw seems to have sparked a newfound sense of hope amongst the Scottish team and fans alike.
So, can Scotland still qualify for the last 16? And if so, how do they go about doing it?
Group D as It Stands
From all over the world, fans weigh up their groups and see how likely it is that their team will qualify.
With sites like Unibet, people are taking the conclusions they’ve come to and betting on Euro 2020 games.
It’s easy to get an idea for a team’s chances when you visit these sites, given how well the odds are displayed for every team and every game, but if you don’t have access to that, here is Group D as it stands.
Currently, Czech Republic is on top with four points, following their draw against Croatia.
England is second, behind only on goal difference, while Croatia and Scotland are 3rd and 4th, again only separated by a goal difference of -2.
What Does Scotland Need to Do?
In their upcoming game against Croatia, Scotland need to win to guarantee finishing third, which could put them in line for a spot in the last 16, as there are spots available to the four best third-placed teams.
However, if they were to achieve this, they would need to hope that other teams across the board, such as Spain, Ukraine, and Germany (all of whom have two points or less) don’t pick up any more draws or wins in their remaining games.
By beating Croatia, Scotland could even finish in second place, however, this depends on the result between England and the Czech Republic. They are unable to finish at the top of their group, though.
If the game between England and the Czech Republic, set to take place on Tuesday 22nd June, ends in a draw, that will result in guaranteed qualification for both teams.
However, even if Scotland comes third, they could still find themselves in the last 16.
To come in the top two, either England or the Czech Republic would need to win, and Scotland would need to climb into second on goal difference, the exact amount of which will become clearer as the games are played.
Conclusion
After waiting nearly a quarter of a century to participate in a major tournament, Scotland’s first loss against the Czech Republic (arguably the most beatable team in the group) came as a sobering snap back to reality.
That being said, following a draw against England thanks to a performance by a much better-looking side, hope has been reinjected back into the nation.
Scotland have put themselves in a good position to qualify for the final 16, so long as they beat Croatia in their final game.
Even if that game ends in a draw, they could still qualify, but this would be incredibly circumstantial depending on teams’ results across all of the groups.
Featured image credit: Marco Verch via Flickr under CC BY 2.0 license
