Greece midfielder Panagiotis Kone looks razor sharp - and I'm not talking about his short back and sides. The Bologna man produces a trademark burst from deep, letting fly with a low shot that skids off the wet Natal turf. Japan keeper Eiji Kawashima gathers at the second attempt.

Yuya Osaka starts up front for Japan, looking to add to his tally of three goals in eight appearances for the brilliantly-nicknamed Blue Samarai. But he is hustled out of play by a Greek defender and Japan's attack is blunted.

Greece striker Konstantinos Mitroglou starts up front - a rare sighting of the Fulham man. He was cursed by injuries after his £12m move to Craven Cottage in January, and lacks sharpness as he skews horribly wide.

Image source, Getty Images

Former England defender Martin Keown, MOTD analyst

"I fully expect Japan to be the team to go for the jugular in this one. Honda is the go-to player. I'd like to see him playing higher up the pitch but they want him in there pulling the strings. Georgios Samaras doesn't want to get back to protect and leaves his full-back exposed."

Bright start from Japan - who are the reigning Asian champions don't forget. Hotaru Yamaguchi gets a glimpse of goal and spanks a 20-yard shot straight into the body of a Greek defender.

Image source, AFP

A huge roar from the soaked supporters in a wet and wild Natal greets referee Joe's Aguilar's opening whistle. Game on!

In short, both teams needs a win here. Each lost their opening match - Greece getting thumped 3-0 by Colombia and Japan going down 2-1 to Ivory Coast.

If Japan lose they definitely going home at the end of the group stage. But if Greece are beaten then there is still a slim (or should that be very slim?) chance they could still advance. But I wouldn't be putting any money on it.

Former England captain Alan Shearer, MOTD analyst

"With Japan they tend to start games very well, score the goals but they tire and concede in the second half. They've got to rectify that.

"Which Konstantinos Mitroglu are we going to see? The one that disappointed so much at Fulham or the one that helped them get here. I wouldn't like to be involved in this Greece team the way they sit and defend and they don't even look like scoring."

Former Netherlands midfielder Clarence Seedorf, MOTD analyst

"Honda's a great talent, a great personality, very outspoken, intelligent player, To get more out of him he'll have to find a different position because it will be tough for him in the middle."

Here's the one you've been waiting all day for. What do you mean England v Uruguay has already finished? Japan against Greece is the one that all of my mates have talking about. In the style of referee John Anderson on 1990s TV show Gladiators..."Are you ready?"

Image source, Getty Images

Both teams have named their starting line-ups for the match.

Japan: Kawashima, Uchida, Konno, Yoshida, Nagatomo, Yamaguchi, Hasebe, Okazaki, Honda, Okubo, Osako. Subs: Nishikawa, Gotoku Sakai, Morishige, Endo, Kiyotake, Kagawa, Kakitani, Aoyama, Inoha, Saito, Hiroki Sakai, Gonda.

Greece: Karnezis, Torosidis, Papastathopoulos, Manolas, Holebas, Maniatis, Katsouranis, Kone, Fetfatzidis, Mitroglou, Samaras. Subs: Glykos, Tzavelas, Moras, Tziolis, Karagounis, Vyntra, Salpingidis, Christodoulopoulos, Gekas, Samaris, Tachtsidis, Kapino.

Referee: Joel Aguilar (Slovakia)

Japan striker Yoshito Okubo impressed as a substitute against Ivory Coast and could replace Yuya Osako up front.

Coach Alberto Zaccheroni must also decide whether to recall playmaker Yasuhito Endo, who played the final 36 minutes of their opening game.

Greece could make a change at left-back, with Georgios Tzavelas the obvious alternative to Jose Holebas, who had a poor game against Colombia.

Kostas Mitroglou and Ioannis Fetfatzidis may also earn recalls.