Losing Is Not An Option

I just received an email this morning with the subject, "Oh dear. The devil is in the detail." It was an email from my football buddy about Estoril's standings in the league table and the chances of them securing a place in next year's Europa League.

With three points clear of both Sporting and Rio Ave, and a huge eleven goal difference we were thinking that all we needed was one win from our last two matches and that would be it. Liga Europa here we come! The fate of Estoril was to be decided at this afternoon's match where a win would put us into Europe. But, alas, this is not the case.

My friend had taken the liberty of copying and pasting the official rules directly from the Liga Zon website for me:

Para estabelecimento da classificação geral dos clubes que se encontrarem em igualdade pontual, serão aplicados em todas as jornadas, para efeitos de desempate, os seguintes critérios:
(Artigo 13.º Regulamento das Competições Organizadas pela LPFP)

A. Número de pontos alcançados pelos clubes empatados, no jogo ou jogos que entre si realizaram;
B. Maior diferença entre o número de golos marcados e o número de golos sofridos pelos clubes empatados, nos jogos que realizaram entre si;
C. Maior número de golos marcados no campo do adversário, nos jogos que realizaram entre si;
D. Maior diferença entre o número dos golos marcados e o número de golos sofridos pelos clubes nos jogos realizados em toda a competição;
E. Maior número de vitórias em toda a competição;
F. Maior número de golos marcados em toda a competição.

Of course the first thing that I did was copy that lot into Google Translate...

To establish the overall standings of the clubs that meet on equal points will be applied on all days, for the purpose of a tie, the following criteria:
(Article 13.º Regulation of Competition Organized by LPFP)

A. Number of points scored by the clubs tied, the game or games that held together;
B. Biggest difference between the number of goals scored and the number of goals conceded by the clubs tied in games held each other;
C. Greater number of goals scored in the opponent's court, in the games held between them;
D. Biggest difference between the number of goals scored and the number of goals conceded by the clubs played matches throughout the competition;
E. Most wins throughout the competition;
F. Greater number of goals scored in all competition.

I then went through this, rule by rule, checking off the standings. Rule A. Well, as far as Sporting goes, we won one match and drew one, thereby putting Sporting out of the running at this stage. Regarding Rio Ave v Estoril, we both won our away games, and so with three points gained for each team, Rule B comes into play; goal difference between the two clubs. Rio Ave won 1-3 at our stadium and we won 0-2 at theirs, and therefore, equal standing again according to Rule B. So on to Rule C, where away goals count, and clearly, Rio have 3 against our 2. Damn.

Of course, this only comes into play if we finish the league on equal points. Clearly this we must avoid. If we assume that Rio Ave and Sporting win both of their last two remaining games then we must, at the very least, win one and draw one to secure the four points required to come out on top of both of the other teams.

This afternoon is Estoril v Beira Mar. And Losing Is Not An Option.