The Spanish team comes from completing a practically perfect match against Costa Rica. Luis Enrique’s men were successful in each and every one of the lines of play, proposing a match well above expectations and at the height of an event as important as a World Cup.
Many Spaniards already see themselves in the round of 16, and this can be a problem if the players leave confident in the remaining matches, since Japan and Germany are not Costa Rica.
Today at 90min we want to do the calculations to analyze in detail all the scenarios in which the Spanish team would end up leading their group.
We will start by analyzing the assumption that they manage to beat Germany. In that case, they would already be mathematically classified for the round of 16, regardless of the remaining results (a situation could occur in which Costa Rica, Japan and Spain tie at six points and in which the goal difference, although it seems impossible, it favors Costa Ricans and Japanese). To be the leader of the group, it would be enough for him to draw against Japan.
In the event that Spain and Germany tie, the Spanish would be practically classified for the next round, although everything would depend on the results of the last day. To be leaders they would have to beat the Japanese (assuming that they beat Costa Rica, otherwise the draw would count again).
The assumption that nobody wants to consider is the following: Germany beats Spain and Japan beats Costa Rica. In this case, the Japanese would reach the last round with six points, and the Spanish and Germans with three. Spain would have to beat Japan and wait for results, since the team with the best goal difference would qualify, which after the crushing win in Spain vs. Costa Rica, it is very possible that it will opt for the Hispanics.
In short, regardless of the result against Germany, if Spain beat Japan it is very possible that the goal difference will allow Luis Enrique’s men to finish at the top of the table.
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