2014 FIFA World Cup

Group C

Teams: Japan V Greece

Date: 19 June 2014

Venue: Estadio das Dunas

Both Japan and Greece will be looking to pick up their first points in the 2014 FIFA World Cup when they lock horns in a Group C match at the Estadio das Dunas on Thursday.

The match is scheduled to start at 19h00 local time in Natal, which is 00h00 South African time.

Both teams come into this game off the back of losses in their opening matches. Japan lost 2-1 to Ivory Coast while Greece were beaten 3-0 by Colombia.

The results have left Japan in third place in the group while Greece occupy last place.

A loss for either side on Thursday night will more than likely end their World Cup campaign, so expect both sides to lay it all on the line.

The two countries have only met on one other occasion and in that match Japan ran out 1-0 winners.

Coincidentally, that match was nine years to the day in a 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup Group B match in Frankfurt.

It is more than likely going to be a close nit affair as both teams greatest strength is in defence and they do not offer much in an attacking force.

Here is how they line up.

Japan: Kawashima, Uchida, Honda, Nagatomo, Okazaki, Okubo, Konno, Yamaguchi, Hasebe, Osako, Yoshida.

Greece: Karnezis, Maniatis, Manolas, Samaras, Kone, Mitroglou, Torosidis, Sokratis, Cholevas, Katsouranis.