What other effect does that have??  Argentina and Nigeria are both very strong countries.......the playoffs are single game eliminations......u loose once......and it is..."better luck in 4 years.....if u make it".......so eliminating the strong countries........BEFOFE the playoffs......would make it easier to win 4 consecutive matches...............u have to win 4 in a row to win it all..

26 June 201817:00 MSK (UTC+3)

Australia	Match 38	Peru
	Report

Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi

Group D

Main article: 2018 FIFA World Cup Group D

Pos	Team [  v t e   ]	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Croatia (A)	2	2	0	0	5	0	+5	6	Advance to knockout stage
2	Iceland	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	1
3	Argentina	2	0	1	1	1	4	−3	1
4	Nigeria	1	0	0	1	0	2	−2	0

Updated to match(es) played on 21 June 2018. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(A) Advance to a further round.