Colombia

Japan’s national football team coach Alberto Zaccheroni has announced his resignation, following his team’s exit from the World Cup.

The Asian team finished last place in group C, losing to Colombia and Cote D’Ivoire and drawing Greece.

Greece has reached the knock-out stages of the World Cup for the first time ever as an injury-time penalty by Giorgos Samaras gave Greece a dramatic 2-1 win over the Ivory Coast to set up a clash with Costa Rica in the round of 16.

By Derek Gatopoulos

After a troubled start, the smiles are returning to West Africa at the World Cup.

Nigeria has earned its first victory after a stalemate with Iran, and Ghana held Germany to a 2-2 draw after losing to the United States. Now Ivory Coast is looking for a place in the last 16 by beating Greece after its earlier loss to Colombia.

Greece striker Costas Mitroglou, who took a hit to his side and had to be taken off during their World Cup Group C draw against Japan on Thursday, will be fit in time for their final game against Ivory Coast, a team official said.

Greece could have emerged victorious from its 0-0 World Cup Group C draw with Japan on Thursday were it not for Costas Katsouranis's first-half red card, coach Fernando Santos said.

The Greek skipper was dismissed for a second yellow in the 38th minute, leaving his side to frantically defend for the remainder of the game with Japan having close to 70 percent possession.

By George Georgakopoulos

Greece’s first ever clean sheet in its World Cup history has kept it in the running for the second round, as the 0-0 draw with Japan on Thursday, with a man down for most of the game in the rainy and windy conditions at Natal, has given it its first point in the tournament.

Japan and Greece face a high-stakes World Cup shoot-out here on Thursday after opening match defeats which have left their participation in the tournament hanging by a thread.

With Japan outmuscled by Ivory Coast 2-1 and Greece thumped 3-0 by Colombia on Saturday, defeat for either side in their Group C collision in Natal could well be terminal.

By Nick Mulvenney

Greece played down a training ground bust-up between two players on Wednesday, saying they were "200 percent" focused on getting their World Cup campaign back on track with victory over Japan.

Rock-solid defenders who constantly chase, tackle and bully their opponents have been the key to Greece tactics ever since it became European champion in 2004.

President Juan Manuel Santos vowed to bring peace to Colombia after winning re-election on June 15, telling rebels his victory shows that voters demand an end to five decades of war.