The final round of group stage matches in Group D have concluded, with Netherlands falling to Austria 2-3 and France drawing 1-1 with Poland. These upsets resulted in a change in standings, with Austria finishing first and Netherlands third. France and Poland maintained their positions, finishing second and fourth, respectively.
France’s inability to defeat Poland meant they finished second in the group, landing them in the upper bracket of the knockout stage. Austria, on the other hand, secured top spot in the group and will compete in the lower bracket.
France’s upper bracket has already secured the presence of three top contenders: Portugal, Spain, and Germany, forming a formidable “death zone.” Making matters worse, if England fails to overcome Slovenia in their final group stage match and Denmark manages to defeat Serbia, England will also find themselves in the upper bracket, facing Germany directly in the Round of 16.
In contrast, the lower bracket appears significantly less daunting. Switzerland and Austria are not considered traditional powerhouses, while the defending champions, Italy, have shown a clear decline in form. Had it not been for a last-minute equalizer in their final group match, they might have been eliminated.
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