COLOMBIA are already through and it will be one of Ivory Coast, Japan or Greece who join them in the round-of-16 from Group ‘C’.

Having won both their games, Colombia top the group heading into the final round of games on Tuesday with six points, three ahead of the Ivorians and five ahead of both Japan and Greece.

Didier Drogba proved to be the catalyst for Ivory Coast’s 2-1 win over Japan in their opening game but they lost by the same score-line to Colombia.

A win against Greece, who lost 3-0 in their first game to Colombia before playing out a goalless draw against Japan, in Fortaleza would put them through and send the Greeks out.

But a draw in that game, and Sabri Lamouchi’s men would be relying on the result of the game between Japan and Colombia to go through.

If Japan manage to upset the Colombian applecart in Cuiaba and it would come down to goal difference in the end.

Japan may not have their World Cup fate in their own hands but coach Alberto Zaccheroni gave the players a day off on Saturday.

At a press conference at their training base in Itu, Zaccheroni said Japan could do with more speed in their attack.

“We haven’t had enough speed in our play and it’s as though the players have been playing with the brakes on,” he said. “But I have full faith in our players and they have good capability to handle the situation.”

Colombia might be through but defender Cristian Zapata wants them to maintain their focus for their final group outing.

The AC Milan man insists he and his team-mates would be foolish to start thinking of the knockout stages already.

“You have to think game by game,” he told a press conference on Saturday. “Japan is a strong team and have good players. It is a tough game for us.”

Ivory Coast’s Yaya and Kolo Toure were told about their younger brother Ibrahim’s death during the Elephants’ defeat to Colombia on Thursday.

The Toure brothers, though, decided they will stay with the team for their entire World Cup campaign.

Ivory Coast spokesman Eric Kakou said on Saturday that the duo were given the option of leaving the tournament but decided to stay with the team as they try to help them qualify for the last 16 for the first time with victory against Greece.

“We promise to find all our attacking forces against Greece,” said AS Roma forward Gervinho, who scored in the loss to Colombia. “We know they are a very good defensive team and as effective in attack. But we need to be stronger mentally and score goals. There is only this way to pass the first round.”

Greece would be without captain Kostas Katsouranis who was sent off in their draw with Japan but they will have the services of Fulham striker Kostas Mitroglou who limped off in the first half against Japan after a collision.

“With the hard work we’ve been putting in and a little luck, the goals will come,” said Mitroglou.

“They have excellent players like Drogba and [Yaya] Toure. But we have to look at what we are doing,” Mitroglou said. “The task is simple. We have to win.”

Published in Dawn, June 24th , 2014