Why Scotland face last-minute travel chaos if they make it into World Cup round of 32

Why Scotland face last-minute travel chaos if they make it into World Cup round of 32

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The Tartan Army now have anxious wait to see how the rest of the groups at this World Cup shake out - and could be left to make last-second travel plans if their side make it through to the round of 32.

Scotland's progress to the next round is by no means a certainty now, with Opta calculating ahead of the game that a three-goal defeat to Brazil would give them a 49.2% chance of being good enough to make them one of the best eight third-placed sides.

Steve Clarke's side finished third in Group C, but with a goal difference of minus three.

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That means that Scotland need at least four of the other 12 third-placed sides to pick up fewer points, or to finish level with them on three points but with an inferior goal difference.

If goal difference still cannot separate them, goals scored will be used, followed by team conduct score and finally FIFA rankings.

One of the places has already been taken by Bosnia and Herzegovina, who finished third in Group B with four points.

But even they do not yet know who their opponents are going to be, thanks to the way the bracket for the round of 32 is calculated.

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Group winners and runners-up know exactly which fixture they will be placed into, including the date, kick-off time and venue.

However, we are unlikely to know until all 12 groups have finished their group games exactly where all the third-placed sides will be allocated.

That's because FIFA need to make sure that nobody plays against a side they have already played in the group stage - and so the final allocation is only made once there is certainty as to which eight third-placed sides will go through.

The final set of group games will be held on Saturday, June 27.

If they make it into the next stage, Scotland could head back to Boston to play Germany on Monday, June 29 - just a two-day turnaround from discovering their opponents.

Or, they could be bound for MetLife Stadium just outside New York City to take on the Group I winners - that will be either France or Norway - on Tuesday, June 30.

Alternatively, it could be a trip to Kansas City to play the winners of Group K - either Colombia or Portugal - on Friday, July 3.

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