Group of Death

[Shibb]

Almost every WC or UEFA championship you hear about a "Group of Death", which normally contains at least two very strong teams and even third and fourth best team can be very good. What are some of the famous "Group(s) of Death", and has any team ever come out of one to win the whole tournament, or do they expend too much in the group round and falter later?

[ExpatSwede]

Well, in WC 2002, the following group seemed to be considered the "group of death":
Sweden
England
--------
Argentina
NigeriaSweden went out in the first elimination round, and England was eliminated in the semis if I remember right.


In the EC 2004, group C seemed the strongest - 4 (usually) good teams:
Sweden
Denmark
--------
Italy
BulgariaBoth Sweden and Denmark were eliminated in the quarter finals.

[scottmsg]

Sweden went out in the first elimination round, and England was eliminated in the semis if I remember right.

England lost in the quarterfinals.

[jambon-beurre]

The "group of death" in the Euro 2000 was :

Netherlands
France
------------
Czech Republic
Danemark


Netherlands made it to the semi finals and France finally won the tournament.

[ronaldinhobr10]

The "group of death" in the Euro 2000 was :

Netherlands
France
------------
Czech Republic
Danemark


now that is a group of death

[Sagy]

Going back to 1994 WC
Group E
G W T L GF-GA Pts
1.MEXICO 3 1 1 1 3- 3 4
2.IRELAND 3 1 1 1 2- 2 4
3.ITALY 3 1 1 1 2- 2 4
4.Norway 3 1 1 1 1- 1 4

18.06.94 New York Italy 0-1 Ireland
19.06.94 Washington Norway 1-0 Mexico
23.06.94 New York Italy 1-0 Norway
24.06.94 Orlando Ireland 1-2 Mexico
28.06.94 Washington Italy 1-1 Mexico
28.06.94 New York Ireland 0-0 NorwayMust feel bad for Norway.

[vilafria]

That has to be the "Mother of all Groups of Dead".

[ExpatSwede]

Going back to 1994 WC
Group E
G W T L GF-GA Pts
1.MEXICO 3 1 1 1 3- 3 4
2.IRELAND 3 1 1 1 2- 2 4
3.ITALY 3 1 1 1 2- 2 4
4.Norway 3 1 1 1 1- 1 4Must feel bad for Norway.Hey, if you don't score enough, you can't expect to move on to the next round.

That's what annoys me so much about many current european NT's playing for draws. (Yes, I'm looking at you; Norway, Greece, and others) That strategy is a recipe for failure. You must take your fate in your own hands by winning games, not spend your off-time hoping for specific results from other matches.

[silver bullet]

In the EC 2004, group C seemed the strongest - 4 (usually) good teams:
Sweden
Denmark
--------
Italy
BulgariaBoth Sweden and Denmark were eliminated in the quarter finals.
Personally, I rated the group with Germany, the Czechs, the Dutch and Latvia higher. Czechs and Dutch both made it to the semis.

[BPBlueSox]

Personally, I rated the group with Germany, the Czechs, the Dutch and Latvia higher. Czechs and Dutch both made it to the semis.

Yeah, I think that group was more difficult as well.

[Hrvat]

In Euro '96

Germany
Italy
Czech Rep.
Russia

Before the torunament noone had counted on Czech Rep., but they simply exploded in England, Italy didn't go through. And eventualy, Germany - Czech Rep. was the final also.

[aloisius]

“The group of death” needs to die ASAP.

[vilafria]

Hey, if you don't score enough, you can't expect to move on to the next round.

That's what annoys me so much about many current european NT's playing for draws. (Yes, I'm looking at you; Norway, Greece, and others) That strategy is a recipe for failure. You must take your fate in your own hands by winning games, not spend your off-time hoping for specific results from other matches.
I agree with you, just look at Greece during the last Euro. Defense,defense,defense. I think even the Italians were getting sick watching
them. There's nothing like attacking style football.

[HakanGS]

Yeah, I agree with you. Playing based on just defence is not nice football. If you watch the last Turkey-Greece game, you will see Turkey attacking and trying to play football 90 minutes, with 60-65% possession, Greece only defending with possibly 8-1-1 formation. That is not football, not nice.

[vilafria]

Yeah, I agree with you. Playing based on just defence is not nice football. If you watch the last Turkey-Greece game, you will see Turkey attacking and trying to play football 90 minutes, with 60-65% possession, Greece only defending with possibly 8-1-1 formation. That is not football, not nice.

Let us hope they fail to reach the finals in Germany. I would like to watch all the televised matches, but for the snoozers I'll save the tapes for near bed time.

[silver bullet]

“The group of death” needs to die ASAP.
But it sounds so dramatic. Let's keep it.

[vilafria]

In Euro '96

Germany
Italy
Czech Rep.
Russia

Before the torunament noone had counted on Czech Rep., but they simply exploded in England, Italy didn't go through. And eventualy, Germany - Czech Rep. was the final also.

Wasn't that one played in Spain?

[Sagy]

Wasn't that one played in Spain?I believe that 1996 was in England (IIRC Spain was in the 60s, 1964?)

[vilafria]

I believe that 1996 was in England (IIRC Spain was in the 60s, 1964?)

Yeah ,'64. You're right on both. Alzeimer's creepin' in.

[Mefisto]

Euro 88 in Germany:

Germany
Italy
Spain
Denmark

Or euro 92:

Sweden
Denmark
France
England