Japan coach cautious ahead of Greece match

Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni has kept a cautious attitude towards compact opponent Greece in the FIFA World Cup Group C match to be held at the Arena das Dunas here Thursday.

Both Japan and Greece are fighting for their survival following respective defeats to Cote d'Ivoire and Colombia, reports Xinhua.

Keisuke Honda gave the Asian champions the lead in the opener against Cote d'Ivoire Saturday but, inspired by Didier Drogba, the Africans hit back with two goals to leave the Blue Samurai's hopes in the balance.

Zaccheroni's side cannot afford to slip against Greece, who lost 0-3 to Colombia.

"Greece have always stood out for their tenacity and the compact nature of their game. They've built their success on that. They withstand attacks very well and are a difficult opposition. So we have to exploit our opportunities when they come up," Zaccheroni said.

"This is a very short tournament so we all know that if you lose one match, it gives you little chance of advancing. But I'm an optimist. Japan have significant potential. Now we're all just waiting to show that potential in our next two matches. It's fundamental we win if we're going to advance."