Japan's Honda celebrates after scoring a goal during World Cup soccer match between Ivory Coast and Japan at the Pernambuco arena
Japan's Keisuke Honda (4) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the 2014 World Cup Group C soccer match between Ivory Coast and Japan at the Pernambuco arena in Recife June 14, 2014. REUTERS/Ruben Sprich

Final Score

Japan 0 Greece 0

Overview

The twenty second match of the FIFA World Cup 2014 is going to be held between Japan and Greece. The Group C match should be interesting as both Japan and Greece know that a loss in this match will possibly ruin any dream of securing a place in the "group of 16" by winning this match. With both teams having lost one each, it will be "do or die."

Teams

Japan: Japan lost to Ivory Coast in its opening match but it did not surrender. In fact, it was Keisuke Honda who scored the first goal of the match within 16 minutes of the start. Everything was going well for the Asian giants until a certain Didier Drogba entered the field. Apparently Drogba's mere presence on the field inspired his team to score twice within minutes. Japan, however, showed it was best known for: speed. It moved fast and attacked but failed to score again.

Greece: Well, Greece lost its first match too but it was quite different from Japan's match. Greece had an uninspiring match against Colombia which vigorously defeated it 3-0. The South American team turned out to be too hot for Greece to handle. Greece did create some chances but its performance was mostly disappointing. Coach Fernando Santos' team failed to materialise the chances it created. Panagiotis Kone and Vassilis Torosidis were dangerously close to scoring but could not.

Head to Head

These two teams played only once against each other before. Japan won the match 1-0.

Key Players

Japan: Shinji Kagawa and Keisuke Honda

Greece: Panagiotis Kone and Vassilis Torosidis

Date, Time & Venue

Brazil's time zone is UTC/GMT -3. The match starts at 7 pm (local time) on June 19, which means it is 8 am on June 20 in New South Wales, Australia. The match will be held at Estadio das Dunas in Natal.

Prediction

Greece's disappointing form will continue. Japan will win it 2-0. Honda will score again. Japan will keep its dreams alive while Greece will be virtually out of the tournament after this match.

Group Predictions

Group A, Group B, Group C, Group D, Group E, Group F, Group G & Group H

Reference: FIFA

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au