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    World Cup Group Stage Tie Breakers

    By William K. Wolfrum on Tue, 06/22/2010 - 11:26am | Sports

    As South Africa desperately looks to score enough goals to advance in the World Cup, here’s a look at the tie-breakers used by FIFA for Group stage play. Courtesy the CS Monitor:

    Two teams advance out of every four-team group. The first and most obvious decider is points (three points for a win, one for a draw).

    * If two teams are tied on points, the first tiebreaker is goal difference – how many goals a team has scored minus how many it has conceded. The thinking is that this is the best measure of which team is better over the three games.

    * If that is inconclusive, the second tiebreaker is goals scored. This rewards the team that is more offensive.

    * If the teams are still tied on these measures, the next tiebreaker is who won the head-to-head matchup.

    * If they’re still tied, World Cup officials flip a coin, literally

    Here’s a link to the current Group Standings.

    –WKW

    Crossposted at William K. Wolfrum Chronicles

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    Sports

    Comments

    That was sad. And not sad. Because I wanted Mexico to go through. But I hate that South Africa won, but lost. I don't want anybody to lose. Except France. Cheaters.


    by Orlando on Tue, 06/22/2010 - 12:25pm

    Thank you!


    by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 06/23/2010 - 2:58pm