UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group H

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
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
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[lower-alpha 1] 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 —
Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. Croatia were deducted one point after charges for racist behaviour in the home match against Italy.

Matches

The 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
 Report
Attendance: 11,000
Referee: Alon Yefet (Israel)
Croatia 2–0 Malta
 Report
Attendance: 8,333
Norway 0–2 Italy
Report
Attendance: 26,265
Bulgaria 0–1 Croatia
Report
Attendance: 29,733[5]
Italy 2–1 Azerbaijan
 Report
Attendance: 33,000[6]
Malta 0–3 Norway
Report
Attendance: 8,067[7]
Croatia 6–0 Azerbaijan
 Report
Stadion Gradski vrt, Osijek
Attendance: 16,021[8]
Malta 0–1 Italy
Report
Attendance: 16,942
Norway 2–1 Bulgaria
 Report
Attendance: 18,990
Azerbaijan 0–1 Norway
Report
Attendance: 9,200[9]
Bulgaria 1–1 Malta
 Report
Attendance: 3,300[10]
Italy 1–1 Croatia
 Report
Attendance: 63,222
Azerbaijan 2–0 Malta
 Report
Attendance: 14,600
Croatia 5–1 Norway
 Report
Attendance: 23,920
Bulgaria 2–2 Italy
 Report
Attendance: 6,000[11]
Croatia 1–1[note 2] Italy
 Report
Attendance: 0[note 3]
Malta 0–1 Bulgaria
Report
Attendance: 3,924
Norway 0–0 Azerbaijan
Report
Attendance: 21,228
Referee: Paweł Gil (Poland)
Azerbaijan 0–0 Croatia
Report
Attendance: 10,000[15]
Referee: Ruddy Buquet (France)
Bulgaria 0–1 Norway
Report
Attendance: 12,913[16]
Italy 1–0 Malta
 Report
Attendance: 12,551[17]
Malta 2–2 Azerbaijan
 Report
Attendance: 5,266[18]
Norway 2–0 Croatia
 Report
Attendance: 26,751[19]
Italy 1–0 Bulgaria
 Report
Attendance: 21,000[20]
Azerbaijan 1–3 Italy
 Report
Attendance: 48,000[21]
Norway 2–0 Malta
 Report
Attendance: 27,120[22]
Croatia 3–0 Bulgaria
 Report
Attendance: 0[note 4]
Bulgaria 2–0 Azerbaijan
 Report
Attendance: 2,500[23]
Italy 2–1 Norway
 Report
Attendance: 30,000[24]
Referee: Felix Brych (Germany)
Malta 0–1 Croatia
Report
Attendance: 5,835[25]

Goalscorers

There were 68 goals scored in 30 matches, for an average of 2.27 goals per match.

6 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

Discipline

A 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)
 AzerbaijanMaksim 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)
 BulgariaPetar 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)
 CroatiaJosip ŠimunićDiscriminatory 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)
 ItalyClaudio 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)
 MaltaSteve 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)
 NorwayTarik Elyounoussi vs Bulgaria (13 October 2014)
vs Azerbaijan (16 November 2014)
vs Croatia (28 March 2015)		vs Azerbaijan (12 June 2015)

Notes
  1. CET (UTC+1) for matches on 16 November 2014 and 28 March 2015, and CEST (UTC+2) for all other matches.
  2. 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]
  3. 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]
  4. 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.
  5. The suspension was carried over from the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification.
  6. The suspension was carried over from the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[28]

References
  1. "UEFA EURO 2016 Qualifying Draw Procedure" (PDF). UEFA. p. 1. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  2. "Spain face Ukraine return in EURO 2016 qualifying". UEFA.com. 23 February 2014.
  3. "Regulations of the UEFA European Football Championship 2014-16" (PDF). UEFA.com.
  4. "Qualifying fixtures" (PDF). UEFA.com.
  5. "Bulgaria vs. Croatia". Retrieved 17 September 2015.
  6. "Italy vs. Azerbaijan". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  7. "Malta vs. Norway". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  8. "Croatia vs. Azerbaijan". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  9. "Azerbaijan vs. Norway". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  10. "Bulgaria vs. Malta". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  11. "Bulgaria vs. Italy". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  12. "Croatia deducted one European Qualifiers point". UEFA.com. 23 July 2015.
  13. "Point deduction stands for Croatia". UEFA.com. 18 September 2015.
  14. "Russia given abandoned Montenegro tie by forfeit after riot". BBC Sport. 8 April 2015.
  15. "Azerbaijan vs. Croatia". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  16. "Bulgaria vs. Norway". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  17. "Italy vs. Malta". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  18. "Malta vs. Azerbaijan". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  19. "Norway vs. Croatia". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  20. "Italy vs. Bulgaria". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  21. "Azerbaijan vs. Italy - 10 October 2015 - Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  22. "Norway vs. Malta - 10 October 2015 - Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  23. "Bulgaria vs. Azerbaijan - 13 October 2015 - Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  24. "Italy vs. Norway - 13 October 2015 - Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  25. "Malta vs. Croatia - 13 October 2015 - Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  26. "УЕФА наказа Мицански чак до старта на световните квалификации". sportline.bg. 23 September 2015.
  27. "Croatian player sanctioned for discriminatory behaviour". FIFA.com. 16 December 2013.
  28. "Update on FIFA Disciplinary Committee decisions on World Cup cases". FIFA.com. 4 August 2014.
  29. "Squad for European qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Norway to be announced on Saturday". vivoazzurro.it. 29 September 2015.
  30. "Borg handed three-match suspension by UEFA". Times of Malta. 24 September 2014.
  31. "Effiong feels he needs to prove himself to national team coach". Times of Malta. 3 March 2015.
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