CUIABA, Brazil (AP):

Japan's players insisted yesterday they will fight to the bitter end as long as they have a shred of a chance to advance to the knockout stages of the World Cup in today's final group stage game against Colombia.

"We're betting everything on this next match," Japan striker Shinji Okazaki told reporters. "We're going to give it everything we can."

To advance, Japan need to defeat an impressive Colombia and hope that Greece can subdue Ivory Coast.

To fulfil their side of the bargain, Japan need to do one thing: Rediscover a killer instinct in front of goal. Japan had their fair share of chances in their 2-1 loss to Cote d'Ivoire, and an abundance of them in their 0-0 draw with Greece. But an inability to convert has left the Blue Samurai on the brink of elimination.

In the run-up to the World Cup, Japan, under Italian coach Alberto Zaccheroni, honed a fluid attack to cure a history of ineptitude before the net. It was defence that was Japan's problem. In Brazil, the old habit of poor finishing has come back to haunt Japan.

Pressure has played its role.

"We can't be thinking too much, 'this is the World Cup,'" said Okazaki. "We just have to do what we've been doing up to now."