WORLD CUP 2014: Japan 0 - 0 Greece

Japan’s guilt should be amplified by the fact they were facing 10 men for more than 50 minutes – Kostas Katsouranis dismissed following two needless bookings – but it would not be in keeping with the spirit of these finals to celebrate the subsequent resistance of the Greeks.

It was Greece who were first to threaten after a cagey start when Panagiotis Kone took charge of possession on halfway before darting forward and testing Eiji Kawashima from 25 yards, the goalkeeper forced to gather at the second attempt.
At the other end it wasn’t until the 19th minute that Orestis Karnezis was called into action as he flopped low to repel Yuya Osako’s measured steer from just outside the area.

The Munich 1860 frontman was encouraged by his range-finder and went close soon after when he wriggled free of two Greek defenders before whipping inches wide from 20 yards out. It was Japan bossing matters and Keisuke Honda drew a save – albeit a clumsy one – from Karnezis as he scampered to palm clear the Milan midfielder’s curling free-kick.

[ Source - DailyMotion ] >> Match Highlights <<

Pain game: Greece striker Kostas Mitroglou receives treatment on the touchline

Aerial duel: Japan's Yuya Osako (No 18) and Greece's Kostas Manolas fight it out in Natal

Getting stuck in: Greece's Panagiotis Kone (right) and Makoto Hasebe of Japan compete for the ball

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