Japan, Greece still alive, but neither finds breakthrough in 0-0 draw

NATAL, Brazil (AP) - Reduced to 10 men after captain Costas Katsouranis was sent off in the 38th minute with his second booking, Greece held on for a 0-0 draw

NATAL, Brazil (AP) - Reduced to 10 men after captain Costas Katsouranis was sent off in the 38th minute with his second booking, Greece held on for a 0-0 draw with Japan on Thursday that kept both alive in Group C and sent rival Colombia through to the knockout round of the World Cup.

Both teams inserted new strikers in search of goals and a first victory, but ultimately the main objective was survival and both achieved that with one match left in group play. Japan would have been eliminated with a loss. Once Katsouranis was sent off after a rough challenge on Makoto Hasebe, Greece withdrew into a defensive setup and held firm.

Greece surrendered three goals in a loss to Colombia, but even short-handed was better organized against Japan and avoided any critical mistakes.

''My players were brilliant,'' said Greece coach Fernando Santos. ''They worked hard after the red card. Without the red card we probably would have won the game.''

Katsouranis will be suspended for Greece's final group match against Ivory Coast.

Japan pressed forward after halftime and had several chances to score. The best came in the 68th minute when Shinji Kagawa played a long pass over the top to Atsuto Uchida, who sent it back across the middle to Yoshito Okubo, who blasted the volley over the net. Greece goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis also was forced to make a diving save in injury time to preserve the draw and the point for Greece.

Greece was determined to turn around its dismal scoring history in the World Cup - 18 goals conceded against just two scored - inserting Kostas Mitroglou up front. But Mitroglou's best effort was an early volley that spun off his foot and he didn't even make it to halftime. After taking an elbow in the side in the 30th minute, Mitroglou collapsed to the ground. He got up and walked off under his own power but soon determined he couldn't continue and was taken off for Theofanis Gekas in the 35th minute.

Things got worse for Greece just moments later when Katsouranis was sent off. Greece retreated into its half of the field for most of the second half. Japan had 68 percent of ball possession.

''It was a terrible start, losing a man,'' said Greece defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos. ''But we have a point and we have hope ... if things go well, let us get four points with a win in the next game - and if God decides that we are eliminated because of the other result, so be it.''

Japan, which had been beaten up in a physical matchup with Ivory Coast in a 2-1 opening loss, once again had to deal with a bigger, stronger and much taller opponent. Coach Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni dropped Kagawa from the starting lineup in surprise move, putting veteran striker Okubo up front with Europe-based star Keisuke Honda.

Okubo had one of Japan's best chances to score in the first half but sent his header over the crossbar in the 33rd minute Zaccheroni was frustrated Japan didn't use its speed to exploit the spaces left by Greece being short a player. A win over Colombia won't guarantee Japans moves on to the next round. If Ivory Coast beats Greece, Japan will go home.

''We played too slowly,'' Zaccheroni said. ''This is not a positive result. We absolutely needed to win.''

Here's how the scoreless draw unfolded:

GALLERY: Jurgen Klinsmann through the years

The Best of Jurgen Klinsmann

Jurgen Klinsmann

Before taking over the U.S. Men's National Team, Jurgen Klinsmann managed his native Germany to a third-place finish in the 2006 World Cup. Here's a look back at his career before he leads the U.S. into the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Klinsmann (left) celebrates in 1996 after captaining Germany to the UEFA European Championship with a 2-1 win over Czech Republic and receiving the trophy from Queen Elizabeth II (center). Klinsmann was the first player ever to score in three different European Championships ('88, '92 and '96).

Jurgen Klinsmann

Klinsmann poses with the late Portuguese great Eusebio before the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. A month later, he would be named coach of the German national team.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Klinsmann discusses his team-building plans for Germany at the second International Football Forum in Rio de Janeiro, in December 2005. His methods drew strongly from American training programs, as Klinsmann had lived in Southern California since 1998, and those methods initially garnered scrutiny from the greater soccer world.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Klinsmann at German national team training in 2006. When managing the team, he would commute to sessions from his home in the United States -- to the frustration of Germany's fans. His non-traditional player selection and philosophies brought criticism that was largely silenced after Germany's third-place finish at the 2006 World Cup.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Klinsmann with members of the German national team, including captain Michael Ballack (center), during World Cup training in 2006.

Jurgen Klinsmann

A former striker who spent time at such clubs as VfB Stuttgart, Inter Milan, AS Monaco, Tottenham and Bayern Munich, Klinsmann scored 226 goals across 506 games in his professional career.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Klinsmann gestures against Costa Rica in the opening match at Munich's World Cup Stadium in 2006, a 4-2 win.

Jurgen Klinsmann

After defeating Argentina on penalties in the 2006 World Cup quarterfinals, Klinsmann celebrated with Germany assistant Oliver Bierhoff in Berlin. The two were former teammates in the German side, for which Klinsmann scored 47 goals in 108 appearances.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Lukas Podolski receives congratulations from Klinsmann during the 2006 World Cup Round of 16 match against Sweden in Munich.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Klinsmann celebrates on the touchline after Bastian Schweinsteiger scores the first goal against Portugal in the third-place game.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Klinsmann rejoices after Germany won the third-place match against Portugal at the 2006 World Cup. Klinsmann went 20-8-6 in 34 matches as manager.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Klinsmann acknowledges the crowd at the medal presentation after winning the third-place game 3-1 over Portugal. Klinsmann would later be named German Football Manager of the Year.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Klinsmann holds Croatia's ballot paper during the UEFA Euro 2008 draw, in December 2007. After the 2006 World Cup, Klinsmann left the Germany post and flirted with the idea of managing the United States.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Klinsmann signs autographs for Japanese fans at a practice session in July 2008, having recently accepted the manager job at legendary German club Bayern Munich.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Bayern Munich and Klinsmann warm up the day of a Champions League match against Sporting Lisbon in 2009. Klinsmann would manage Bayern for just one season, and was sacked with five games left with his team just three points out of first. Bayern management was also unhappy with early exits in the Champions League and DFB-Pokal tournaments.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Klinsmann and assistant coach Martin Vazquez celebrate a goal by Robbie Rogers against Mexico on Aug. 10, 2011. A few weeks earlier, on July 29, Klinsmann was named coach of the United States national team after rumors linked the two for years.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Waiting for the start of a match against Italy in 2012, Klinsmann cracks a smile. Before taking the U.S. job, he'd followed MLS and been a presence at soccer events around the country since 1998, when then-MLS Deputy Commissioner Sunil Gulati tried to get him to sign with the Los Angeles Galaxy as a player.

Jurgen Klinsmann

U.S. midfielder Michael Bradley (right) and Klinsmann address the media in 2012. Klinsmann replaced Bradley's father, Bob, as U.S. coach in 2011, intending to create a distinctly American style of play.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Klinsmann signs an autograph at a public U.S. national team practice in 2012.

Jurgen Klinsmann

USA players and Klinsmann acknowledge the fans after a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying win over Guatemala in Kansas City, Kan. Klinsmann hoped to implement an offensive, passing-based mentality to the American side.

Jurgen Klinsmann

The U.S. men practice in 2013.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Clint Dempsey and Klinsmann hold court at a presser in Mexico City, a day prior to a World Cup qualifier.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Klinsmann and Mexico head coach Jose Manuel de la Torre chat before the game at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Forward Jozy Altidore is greeted by Klinsmann after being substituted in a 1-1 World Cup qualifier draw with Mexico in Mexico City.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Klinsmann thanks U.S. supporters following a 1-0 win against Costa Rica during the CONCACAF Gold Cup in July 2013 in East Hartford, Conn.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Klinsmann gestures during the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal match against Honduras at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The U.S. won 3-1.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Klinsmann watches DaMarcus Beasley take a throw-in during a friendly with Guatemala at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Calif.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Longtime U.S. star Landon Donovan meets Klinsmann while exiting after scoring his second goal during a friendly against Guatemala in San Diego in 2013.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Klinsmann warms up prior to a training session in September 2013 in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Veteran U.S. midfielder DaMarcus Beasley listens to Klinsmann during a World Cup qualifying match against Mexico in Columbus, Ohio in September 2013. The United States clinched its seventh straight World Cup appearance with second-half goals from Eddie Johnson and Landon Donovan in a 2-0 win.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Former U.S. player Frankie Hejduk congratulates Klinsmann after the U.S. clinched a World Cup berth by defeating Mexico.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Klinsmann speaks during a press conference at the Sao Paulo FC training centre in January 2014.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Klinsmann and the U.S. team arrived in Sao Paulo in January 2014 for a 12-day training session to prepare for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Jurgen Klinsmann addresses the team in Sao Paulo in January 2014. Known for picking his squads on performance and not reputation, Klinsmann held true to his reputation in mid-May by leaving striker Eddie Johnson out of the World Cup pool in favor of the in-form Terrence Boyd and Chris Wondolowski.