The magic of the last round

The most scandalous match of the last round of the group tournament in the history of the World Cups can be called the meeting between the teams of Germany and Austria at the World Cup in 1982, when the Germans scored in the opening, after which the teams openly rolled the ball in the central zone without even trying to change the score. As a result, that match ended with a score of 1:0, and both teams amicably went to the next stage, leaving the Algerian national team with a nose, which sensationally beat the Germans themselves in the first round. That match was unofficially referred to in the press as "the match", although no evidence was found and no one was disqualified. It's just that the teams played in a way that suited them both. Then they talked about the need to play matches of the last round in each group at the same time. Just did it help? In my opinion, only partially. They just started to play smarter in the future and did not openly show that they were not going to change the required score amicably. Although it is mentioned, the match between Porto and Arsenal in the Champions League, when both teams were satisfied with a draw and somewhere in the middle of the second half, they also began to diligently move the ball from one defender to another. The 2004 European Championship is also mentioned, when Denmark, Sweden, Italy and Bulgaria played in the same group, which lost to all of them. In this case, the equality of points was primarily taken into account not the total goal difference, but the results of personal meetings up to the number of goals scored in these personal meetings. And so in the first round Sweden — Italy play 0:0, in the second round Denmark — Italy ​​1:1. How should Denmark and Sweden play in the last round to reach the quarter-finals together? That's right, 2:2. How did they play? That's right, 2:2! At the World Championship, there was practically no such dissimilarity within the groups. But another problem arose. Already at the next tournament, FIFA decided to change the formula to send not only two group winners to the playoffs, but also four teams out of six, which took third place. And the frank merging of the third teams from the groups that played in the early days began. The year 1994 is remembered, when Russia was beaten (they were beaten, and it was great!), which did not leave the third place with three points and a positive goal difference. For that, Argentina lost in the last round to Bulgaria and Belgium to Saudi Arabia, when the entire vaunted Belgian defense gave way in front of Al Owairan. You perfectly remember how many world and European championships were held according to this formula. So, for the first and only time from the quartet that played on the last day of the group tournament, the third team did not enter Euro 2021, when Spain beat Slovakia 5-0, thanks to which Ukraine, who played two days earlier, made it to the playoffs. This is one problem. The other one remains within the group, because if both teams are satisfied with a specific result to advance to the next round, they often "achieve" it. Because of this, for example, Valery Lobanovbroadcasteri's USSR national team suffered at the 1990 World Cup. Simply, Argentina and Romania played 1:1, as suited both of them, and the Union flew past the playoffs. And there are many such examples. We will not list them here. Let's take a closer look at how things went with the matches of the last round at this World Cup. Four points are considered a passing score for third-placed teams. That's what we will push away from. In Group C before the last round, Brazil and Morocco had four points each, Scotland had three. But Brazil played for victory and took out the Scots. But it should be noted that here the difference in class between the teams is huge, and Scotland, unlike its fans, made a depressing impression. Well, for Brazil, the first place in the group is a matter of principle. In Group D, Australia and Paraguay each had three points. As a result - a dismal 0-0, without a moment, with an xG in Paraguay of 0.24 and in Australia 0.55. Group E Germany, who had already secured top spot, lost to Ecuador, leaving the South Americans with the four points they need. Group F. There Japan had four points and Sweden three. The result was 1-1 with goals exchanged within six minutes to save nerves before the playoffs. The Japanese got to Brazil from the second place, the Swedes from the third to France - from time to time it is not easier. Group J. Austria and Algeria had three points each - arch rivals since the 1982 World Cup. They played a magnificent 3:3 with an exchange of goals in stoppage time. But it was a draw, and it cost Algeria to take the lead 3:2, as Austria immediately fought back. Group L. Ghana had four points, Croatia had three, but by then it was clear that Ghana was definitely in the playoffs. As a result, the Croats, who had something to lose, acted much a