Greece and Japan will look to keep their chances of advancing to the knockout stages of the 2014 FIFA World Cup alive when they collide Thursday night at the Estadio Das Dunas in Natal.

A lot is at stake in their upcoming match: The loser will be knocked out of contention, since Greece and Japan dropped their respective tournament openers.

Japan started strong in its opener against Ivory Coast, being aggressive on both ends, but failed to maintain its attacking flair, allowing its African counterparts to escape with a 2-1 victory.

Greece, on the other hand, started disappointingly. After surrendering only four goals in 10 qualifying matches, the Greeks allowed Colombia three goals in their first World Cup assignment.

Greece coach Fernando Santos, who is not expected to make drastic changes for Thursday's match, is still optimistic that the team can advance to the next round, and he is confident that everyone involved has prepared enough to perform well against Japan.

"We have already watched Japan in the past, and we know their advantages and disadvantages," Santos said via Yahoo Sports. "We will be ready. Some of my players have to understand there are more group games coming. This is not over."

Meanwhile, Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni could change his lineup. New reports indicate that Yoshito Okubo might see more action after an impressive performance in Japan's opening match, when he was substituted in for the struggling Yuya Osaka.

Shinji Kagawa failed to impress against Ivory Coast, but the attacking midfielder is expected to retain his place, as Zaccheroni is still hoping he will produce better scoring opportunities for his team Thursday.

Schedule, Date, How to Watch

The Greece-Japan match will start at 6 p.m. EST Thursday. Fans can watch the action on ESPN and online at WatchESPN.