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(Sports Focus) Roundup: Croatia push Spain to face Italy, Northern Ireland survive by goal difference

Xinhua, June 22, 2016 Adjust font size:

Croatia stunned Spain 2-1 to top Euro 2016 Group D here Tuesday, pushing the defending champions to face Italy in Round of 16, and Northern Ireland, despite losing 1-0 to Germany and finishing third in Group C, beat two other third-placers Turkey and Albania by goal difference to survive.

As all the matches of Group A, B, C, D have completed, four winners (host France, Wales, Germany and Croatia), four runners-up (Switzerland, England, Poland and Spain) and the best two third-placers (Slovakia and Northern Ireland) have booked for Round of 16.

According to the UEFA, the winners, runners-up and the four best third-placers of the six groups advance to Round of 16.

Third-placed teams are first ranked according to points obtained, then goal differences, then goals scored, then disciplinary records.

Northern Ireland leveled Group A third-placer Albania and Group D's Turkey on three points, but the goal difference of the latter two is below zero while that of Northern Ireland is nil. Slovakia got four points.

The fate of Turkey and Albania is still pending until Wednesday night when the matches of Group E and F are completed.

Four bottom teams (Romania, Russia, Ukraine, the Czech Republic) have been sent packing.

Tuesday's most eyecatching game was in Bordeaux where Croatia, missing their injured playmaker Luka Modric, came from behind to stun Spain 2-1.

Before the Croatia-Spain game, both teams had already ensure the tickets to the last 16 and fought for a better placing.

Italy had definitely been the Group E winner to face Group D runners-up in Round of 16.

Spain coach Vicente de Bosque said, "I think we played well. We will try to prepare for the knockout match against Italy. It's Monday and we still have time."

Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic, who scored the winning goal for Croatia in the 87th minute, said, "I told an Italian reporter before that you should be happy not playing Croatia."

In Paris, Mario Gomez scored the only goal to help Germany beat Northern Ireland 1-0.

In Marseille, Jakub Blaszczykowski's goal in the 54th minute helped Poland beat Ukraine 1-0.

In Lens, Turkey beat the Czech Republic 2-0 to finish third in Group D. Endit