The UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group H was one of the nine groups to decide which teams would qualify for the UEFA Euro 2016 finals tournament.[1] Group H consisted of six teams: Italy, Croatia, Norway, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, and Malta,[2] where they played against each other home-and-away in a round-robin format.[3]
The top two teams, Italy and Croatia, qualified directly for the finals. As third-placed Norway weren't the highest-ranked among all third-placed teams, they advanced to the play-offs, where they lost to Hungary and thus failed to qualify.
Standings
editPos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | |||||||
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1 | Italy | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 24 | Qualify for final tournament | — | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | |
2 | Croatia[a] | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 20 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 1–1 | — | 5–1 | 3–0 | 6–0 | 2–0 | ||
3 | Norway | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 19 | Advance to play-offs | 0–2 | 2–0 | — | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | |
4 | Bulgaria | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 12 | −3 | 11 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | ||
5 | Azerbaijan | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 18 | −11 | 6 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | — | 2–0 | ||
6 | Malta | 10 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 16 | −13 | 2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 2–2 | — |
- ^ Croatia were deducted one point after charges for racist behaviour in the home match against Italy.
Matches
editThe fixtures were released by UEFA the same day as the draw, which was held on 23 February 2014 in Nice.[4] Times are CET/CEST,[note 1] as listed by UEFA (local times are in parentheses).
Azerbaijan | 1–2 | Bulgaria |
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Italy | 2–1 | Azerbaijan |
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Croatia | 6–0 | Azerbaijan |
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Azerbaijan | 0–1 | Norway |
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Azerbaijan | 2–0 | Malta |
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Croatia | 5–1 | Norway |
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Norway | 0–0 | Azerbaijan |
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Azerbaijan | 0–0 | Croatia |
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Malta | 2–2 | Azerbaijan |
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Azerbaijan | 1–3 | Italy |
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Bulgaria | 2–0 | Azerbaijan |
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Goalscorers
editThere were 68 goals scored in 30 matches, for an average of 2.27 goals per match.
6 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
- Javid Huseynov
- Mihail Aleksandrov
- Nikolay Bodurov
- Andrey Galabinov
- Ventsislav Hristov
- Dimitar Rangelov
- Nikola Kalinić
- Mario Mandžukić
- Ivica Olić
- Danijel Pranjić
- Ivan Rakitić
- Gordon Schildenfeld
- Leonardo Bonucci
- Matteo Darmian
- Daniele De Rossi
- Stephan El Shaarawy
- Alessandro Florenzi
- Simone Zaza
- Alfred Effiong
- Clayton Failla
- Michael Mifsud
- Jo Inge Berget
- Mats Møller Dæhli
- Tarik Elyounoussi
- Vegard Forren
- Håvard Nielsen
- Håvard Nordtveit
- Alexander Søderlund
1 own goal
- Rashad Sadygov (against Croatia)
- Nikolay Bodurov (against Croatia)
- Yordan Minev (against Italy)
- Vedran Ćorluka (against Norway)
- Giorgio Chiellini (against Azerbaijan)
Discipline
editA player was automatically suspended for the next match for the following offences:[3]
- Receiving a red card (red card suspensions could be extended for serious offences)
- Receiving three yellow cards in three different matches, as well as after fifth and any subsequent yellow card (yellow card suspensions were carried forward to the play-offs, but not the finals or any other future international matches)
The following suspensions were served during the qualifying matches:
Team | Player | Offence(s) | Suspended for match(es) |
---|---|---|---|
Azerbaijan | Maksim Medvedev | vs Russia (15 October 2013)[note 5] | vs Bulgaria (9 September 2014) |
Badavi Guseynov | vs Italy (10 October 2015) | vs Bulgaria (13 October 2015) | |
Bulgaria | Petar Zanev | vs Czech Republic (15 October 2013)[note 5] | vs Azerbaijan (9 September 2014) |
Svetoslav Dyakov | vs Italy (28 March 2015) vs Malta (12 June 2015) vs Italy (6 September 2015) |
vs Croatia (10 October 2015) | |
Yordan Minev | vs Norway (13 October 2014) vs Norway (3 September 2015) vs Italy (6 September 2015) |
vs Croatia (10 October 2015) | |
Iliyan Mitsanski | vs Italy (6 September 2015)[26] | vs Croatia (10 October 2015) vs Azerbaijan (13 October 2015) | |
Croatia | Josip Šimunić | Discriminatory behaviour vs Iceland (19 November 2013)[27] | vs Malta (9 September 2014) vs Bulgaria (10 October 2014) vs Azerbaijan (13 October 2014) vs Italy (16 November 2014) vs Norway (28 March 2015) vs Italy (12 June 2015) vs Azerbaijan (3 September 2015) |
Ante Rebić | vs Mexico (23 June 2014)[note 6] | vs Malta (9 September 2014) | |
Vedran Ćorluka | vs Norway (28 March 2015) | vs Italy (12 June 2015) | |
Darijo Srna | vs Italy (12 June 2015) | vs Azerbaijan (3 September 2015) | |
Mateo Kovačić | vs Italy (16 November 2014) vs Italy (12 June 2015) vs Azerbaijan (3 September 2015) |
vs Norway (6 September 2015) | |
Ivica Olić | vs Bulgaria (10 October 2014) vs Italy (12 June 2015) vs Norway (6 September 2015) |
vs Bulgaria (10 October 2015) | |
Duje Čop | vs Bulgaria (10 October 2015) | vs Malta (13 October 2015) | |
Italy | Claudio Marchisio | vs Uruguay (24 June 2014)[note 6] | vs Norway (9 September 2014) |
Leonardo Bonucci | vs Malta (13 October 2014) | vs Croatia (16 November 2014) | |
Daniele De Rossi | vs Bulgaria (6 September 2015)[29] | vs Azerbaijan (10 October 2015) vs Norway (13 October 2015) | |
Malta | Steve Borg | vs Croatia (9 September 2014)[30] | vs Norway (10 October 2014) vs Italy (13 October 2014) vs Bulgaria (16 November 2014) |
Michael Mifsud | vs Italy (13 October 2014)[31] | vs Bulgaria (16 November 2014) vs Azerbaijan (28 March 2015) | |
Paul Fenech | vs Bulgaria (16 November 2014) vs Bulgaria (12 June 2015) vs Italy (3 September 2015) |
vs Azerbaijan (6 September 2015) | |
Norway | Tarik Elyounoussi | vs Bulgaria (13 October 2014) vs Azerbaijan (16 November 2014) vs Croatia (28 March 2015) |
vs Azerbaijan (12 June 2015) |
Notes
edit- ^ CET (UTC 1) for matches on 16 November 2014 and 28 March 2015, and CEST (UTC 2) for all other matches.
- ^ Croatia were deducted one point after charges for racist behaviour (display of a Nazi symbol) in this match. In addition, the Croatian Football Federation were ordered to play their next two home matches of UEFA competition behind closed doors and not to play any of its remaining qualifying games at Stadion Poljud. A fine of €100,000 was also imposed.[12] The Croatian Football Federation appealed against the decision and a hearing was scheduled for 17 September 2015. Croatia's appeal was rejected.[13]
- ^ Played behind closed doors due to punishment handed to Croatia by UEFA for crowd trouble in their home match against Norway. The Croatian FA were also fined €50,000 because of that incident.[14]
- ^ Played behind closed doors and away from Stadion Poljud due to a sanction imposed on Croatia after charges for racist behaviour in their home match against Italy.
- ^ a b The suspension was carried over from the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification.
- ^ a b The suspension was carried over from the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[28]
References
edit- ^ "UEFA EURO 2016 Qualifying Draw Procedure" (PDF). UEFA. p. 1. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
- ^ "Spain face Ukraine return in EURO 2016 qualifying". UEFA.com. 23 February 2014.
- ^ a b "Regulations of the UEFA European Football Championship 2014–16" (PDF). UEFA.com.
- ^ "Qualifying fixtures" (PDF). UEFA.com.
- ^ "Bulgaria vs. Croatia". Retrieved 17 September 2015.
- ^ "Italy vs. Azerbaijan". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- ^ "Malta vs. Norway". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- ^ "Croatia vs. Azerbaijan". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- ^ "Azerbaijan vs. Norway". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- ^ "Bulgaria vs. Malta". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- ^ "Bulgaria vs. Italy". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- ^ "Croatia deducted one European Qualifiers point". UEFA.com. 23 July 2015.
- ^ "Point deduction stands for Croatia". UEFA.com. 18 September 2015.
- ^ "Russia given abandoned Montenegro tie by forfeit after riot". BBC Sport. 8 April 2015.
- ^ "Azerbaijan vs. Croatia". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- ^ "Bulgaria vs. Norway". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- ^ "Italy vs. Malta". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- ^ "Malta vs. Azerbaijan". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- ^ "Norway vs. Croatia". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- ^ "Italy vs. Bulgaria". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- ^ "Azerbaijan vs. Italy – 10 October 2015 – Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
- ^ "Norway vs. Malta – 10 October 2015 – Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
- ^ "Bulgaria vs. Azerbaijan – 13 October 2015 – Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
- ^ "Italy vs. Norway – 13 October 2015 – Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
- ^ "Malta vs. Croatia – 13 October 2015 – Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
- ^ "УЕФА наказа Мицански чак до старта на световните квалификации". sportline.bg. 23 September 2015.
- ^ "Croatian player sanctioned for discriminatory behaviour". FIFA.com. 16 December 2013. Archived from the original on 16 December 2013.
- ^ "Update on FIFA Disciplinary Committee decisions on World Cup cases". FIFA.com. 4 August 2014. Archived from the original on 4 August 2014.
- ^ "Squad for European qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Norway to be announced on Saturday". vivoazzurro.it. 29 September 2015.
- ^ "Borg handed three-match suspension by UEFA". Times of Malta. 24 September 2014.
- ^ "Effiong feels he needs to prove himself to national team coach". Times of Malta. 3 March 2015.