BigWoof31;1716353; said:
I wasn't that impressed with either Slovenia or Algeria. I like the Yanks to get 3 points in both of those matches.
Slovenia's 1-0 win gives them the group lead. There are 4 teams in each group - they all play each other. A team gets 3 points for a win and 1 for a draw. The top 2 teams advance.
For those unfamiliar with WC Group tiebreakers - in the event of a tie, the first tiebreaker is goal differential (each team's total goals scored in 3 games minus the total goals allowed). If that's the same, then the total goals scored is the next tiebreaker.
Since there's been a tie between USA and England, any team that gets 6 points in the group is guaranteed to advance. So if the USA wins their last 2 games, they definitely advance.
If the USA gets a draw and a win in the last 2 game, they should get through. A win, a draw and 2 goals vs. Algeria guarantees it. Here are the 18 scenarios:
USA draws with Slovenia, beats Algeria, England beats them both:
7 - England
5 - USA
4 - Slovenia
0 - Algeria
USA draws with Slovenia, beats Algeria, England does the same:
5 - England (goal differential vs Algeria/(then total goals) decides who wins the Group)
5 - USA (they need 2 goals against Algeria to clinch in this scenario)
5 - Slovenia (only beat Algeria 1-0, and will likely lose the tiebreakers)
0 - Algeria
USA draws with Slovenia, beats Algeria, England draws with both:
5 - USA (goal differential vs Algeria/(then total goals) decides who wins the Group)
5 - Slovenia (only beat Algeria 1-0, and will likely lose the tiebreaker)
3 - England
0 - Algeria
USA draws with Slovenia, beats Algeria, England draws with Algeria and beats Slovenia:
5 - USA (goal differential/(then total goals) decides who wins the Group)
5 - England
4 - Slovenia
1 - Algeria
USA draws with Slovenia, beats Algeria, England beats Algeria and loses to Slovenia:
7 - Slovenia
5 - USA
4 - England
0 - Algeria
USA draws with Slovenia, beats Algeria, England loses to Algeria and beats Slovenia:
5 - USA
4 - England (total goal differential applies, not head-to-head w/Slovenia)
4 - Slovenia
3 - Algeria
USA draws with Slovenia, beats Algeria, England loses to both:
7 - Slovenia
5 - USA
3 - Algeria
1 - England
USA draws with Slovenia, beats Algeria, England draws with Algeria and loses to Slovenia:
7 - Slovenia
5 - USA
2 - England
1 - Algeria
USA draws with Slovenia, beats Algeria, England loses to Algeria and draws with Slovenia:
5 - USA (scoring 2 goals against Algeria wins the tiebreaker)
5 - Slovenia
3 - Algeria
2 - England
-----------------------------
USA beats Slovenia, draws with Algeria, England beats them both:
7 - England
5 - USA
3 - Slovenia
1 - Algeria
USA beats Slovenia, draws with Algeria, England does the same:
5 - England (goal differential vs Slovenia/(then total goals) decides who wins the Group)
5 - USA
3 - Slovenia
2 - Algeria
USA beats Slovenia, draws with Algeria, England draws with both:
5 - USA
4 - Slovenia
3 - England
2 - Algeria
USA beats Slovenia, draws with Algeria, England draws with Algeria and beats Slovenia:
5 - USA (goal differential/(then total goals) decides who wins the Group)
5 - England
3 - Slovenia
2 - Algeria
USA beats Slovenia, draws with Algeria, England beats Algeria and loses to Slovenia:
6 - Slovenia
5 - USA
4 - England
1 - Algeria
USA beats Slovenia, draws with Algeria, England loses to Algeria and beats Slovenia:
5 - USA
4 - England (total goal differential applies, not head-to-head w/Algeria)
4 - Algeria
3 - Slovenia
USA beats Slovenia, draws with Algeria, England loses to both:
6 - Slovenia
5 - USA
4 - Algeria
1 - England
USA beats Slovenia, draws with Algeria, England draws with Algeria and loses to Slovenia:
6 - Slovenia
5 - USA
2 - Algeria
1 - England
USA beats Slovenia, draws with Algeria, England loses to Algeria and draws with Slovenia:
5 - USA
4 - Slovenia (goal differential decides 2nd place, not head-to-head)
4 - Algeria
2 - England