How England can avoid Netherlands in last-16 and their route to Euro 2024 final
England will have to wait until their last-16 opponents are confirmed (Photo by Harriet Lander – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
England have secured their place in the Euro 2024 knockout stage but the Three Lions face a wait to see who they will play next in the last-16.
Gareth Southgate’s side delivered another uninspiring performance in their final group game against Slovenia on Tuesday night but a goalless draw was enough to secure top spot in Group C.
The result means England will play their last-16 tie on Sunday, June 30, at 5pm in Gelsenkirchen, the venue for their opening 1-0 win over Serbia.
At this stage, it seems very likely that their opponents will be the Netherlands but that is not a certainty…
Who could England play in the last-16 at Euro 2024?
By virtue of topping Group C, England will play one of the best third-placed finishers from Groups D or E in the last-16.
Following a 3-2 defeat to Austria, combined with France’s 1-1 draw with Poland, the Netherlands have been confirmed as the third-place team in Group D.
Any of Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine or Belgium could finish third in Group E, with their final fixtures to be played at 5pm on Wednesday, 26 June.
Holland have had a tough Euros so far (Photo by Peter Lous/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
So will it be Holland or a Group E team? We won’t know for sure until after Group E and Group F are wrapped up tonight and we know the identity of the four best third-placed sides.
In short, England will avoid playing the Netherlands if the third-placed teams in Group E and Group F finish above Hungary, who have three points and a -3 goal difference, in the third-placed standings.
This is very likely in Group E as all four aforementioned sides currently have three points and superior goal difference.
Slovakia currently occupy third-place in Group E (Photo by KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP via Getty Images)
In Group F it will require either Georgia beating Portugal or the Czech Republic beating Turkey by fewer than three goals.
If this fails to happen, then the Three Lions will indeed be taking on Oranje.
On paper, the Netherlands and Belgium would be the trickiest opponents, though the former have had a difficult Euros as well, with their defeat to Austria exposing several key flaws in Ronald Koeman’s side.
Who are England's likeliest last-16 opponents?
Netherlands – 4/7
Slovakia – 4/1
Ukraine – 13/2
Romania – 7/1
Belgium – 16/1
Odds courtesy of Star Sports
Who could England play in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals?
Providing England win their last-16 tie – and at this point who knows what will happen – they would then play the winners of Switzerland vs Italy in the quarter final in Dusseldorf at 5pm on July 6.
While a rematch with the side that beat them on penalties in the Euro 2020 final isn’t favourable, the Italians haven’t looked at their best so far this tournament, while the Swiss have done pretty well so far, very nearly beating Germany in their last match.
Who could England play in the Euro 2024 semi-finals and final?
The rest of the bracket on England’s side is incomplete, though dark horses Austria are a potential opponent for a semi-final that could take place in Dortmund at 8pm on July 10.
Fantastically, the Three Lions have ended up on the side of the draw that avoids big guns France, Germany, Spain and Portugal, meaning that England will not encounter one of these sides until a potential final in Berlin at 8pm on July 14.
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