NATAL, Brazil -- Greece promised goals that didnt come. Japan pressed for a victory that eluded it yet again. The ultimate result of what has turned out to be a rarity at this World Cup -- a 0-0 draw -- is that Colombia is guaranteed to move on to the knockout rounds and Greece and Japan are still clinging to life in Group C. Reduced to 10 men after captain Costas Katsouranis was sent off in the 38th minute with his second booking, Greece held on for a critical result in the group by returning to the rock-solid defence that Colombia had blistered for three goals in an opening loss. "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." 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. Even short-handed, Greece was better organized against Japan and avoided any critical mistakes. Japan defender Atsuto Uchida said he could sense Greece building a wall around the goal as soon as Katsouranis was sent off. "I had a bad feeling about it. It happens a lot in soccer, when a team goes down to 10, they know exactly what they need to do. And that also happens to be exactly Greeces way to fighting -- to fight by defending," Uchida said. 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 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 came in determined to turn around its dismal scoring history in the World Cup -- 18 goals conceded against just two scored -- inserting Kostas Mitroglou up front. Greek players had even promised goals against Japan. But Mitroglous best effort was an early volley that spun off his foot and he didnt 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 couldnt 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 per cent of ball possession. Katsouranis will be suspended for Greeces final group match against Ivory Coast. "It was a terrible start, losing a man," Greece defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos said. "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 Japans best chances to score in the first half but sent his header over the crossbar in the 33rd minute Zaccheroni was frustrated Japan didnt use its speed to exploit the spaces left by Greece being short a player. A win over Colombia wont 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." ------ Japan: Japan: Eiji Kawashima, Atsuto Uchida, Keisuke Honda, Yuto Nagamoto, Shinji Okazaki, Yoshito Okubo, Yasuyuki Konno, Hotaru Yamaguchi, Makoto Hasebe (Yasuhito Endo, 46), Yuya Osako (Shinji Kagawa, 57) and Maya Yoshida. Greece: Orestis Karnezis; Yiannis Maniatis , Kostas Manolas; Georgios Samaras, Panagiotis Kone (Dimitrios Salpingidis, 81), Kostas Mitroglou (Theofanis Gekas, 35), Vasilis Torosidis, Yiannis Fetfatzidis (Georgios Karagounis, 41), Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Jose Holebas and Costas Katsouranis. Discount Jerseys . - The Toronto Blue Jays have optioned pitchers Kyle Drabek, Chad Jenkins and Sean Nolin to triple-A Buffalo. Kris Bryant Jersey Cubs .com) - Patrick Reed poured in a 19-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole Monday to defeat Jimmy Walker and win the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. https://www.discountjerseysonline.com/babe-ruth-jersey-red-sox-718 . "Weve given ourselves now a tougher task," said Carlyle after the Friday practice, the Toronto head coach notably chipper and upbeat throughout. "But the bottom line is we just have to win our share of games [and] not worry about what anybody else is doing. Tyler Chatwood Jersey Cubs . Price was hurt at the start of Wednesdays practice after facing just one shot as the team worked on their power play. He left the ice in discomfort and appeared to be favouring his leg. A Habs source told TSNs John Lu that Price suffered the injury in Sochi and not before the Olympics. Miguel Amaya Jersey Cubs . - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going to meet with Richie Incognito to determine if one of the central figures in the Miami Dolphins bullying scandal can help their struggling offensive line.SAN JOSE, Calif. - Antti Niemi capped a rough week with a stellar performance.Tomas Hertl scored in the first period and Niemi earned his 29th career shutout in his return to the net, helping the San Jose Sharks beat the Nashville Predators 2-0 on Saturday night for their seventh win in eight games.Niemi missed three straight games for the first time in more than three years after sitting out last Sunday in Edmonton and then being held out of two games earlier this week after getting hit by a puck in a morning skate Tuesday.But after two slow periods to start the game, Niemi made 18 of his 29 saves in the third to get his second shutout of the season.I thought he was very sharp when he needed to be, coach Todd McLellan said. His week hasnt been easy. He gets injured, misses some starts, comes into a game like that and really doesnt get tested until the third period. He was able to stay in it mentally and physically, and made some saves in the third when we needed them.Joe Thornton added an empty-net goal as the Sharks put together one of their most complete performances of the season. They would have won more handily if not for strong play from Pekka Rinne, who made 32 saves for Nashville.Hertl managed to get one past Rinne in the opening minutes and Niemi made it stand up.It was slow in our end for two periods, and we had great chances so it was exciting to see him making those saves, Niemi said. Its exciting playing one of the top goalies.The Predators failed in their bid to complete a sweep of a three-game road trip, having outscored Colorado and Arizona 8-1 in the first two games.Rinne, who stopped 57 of 58 shots in those two wins, was just as good against the Sharks but didnt get enough help for it to matter.It was hard for us to get it going tonight, Rinne said.dddddddddddd. They played extremely well and we were just hanging on there. They had a lot of speed tonight. They were aggressive on the puck. The whole night they seemed to win every battle.The Sharks dominated from the start, outshooting Nashville 18-7, winning three quarters of the faceoffs, killing two penalties and jumping in front during a strong first period.Scott Hannan started the scoring play with a hard dump-in that Thornton fed to Joe Pavelski. Rinne saved Pavelskis original shot but Hertl knocked the rebound in for his seventh goal.San Jose didnt let up and the game got testy late in the period when Tommy Wingels and James Neal fought during a Predators power play.You try to get off to a good start every night, just sometimes it happens better than other nights for whatever reason, Thornton said. Tonight was one of those nights where we just started fast and it won the game for us, probably.The Sharks continued to control the play in the second period and were only prevented from adding to their lead by some splendid goalkeeping from Rinne. He robbed Pavelski twice on a power play and then made back-to-back stops later in the second against Scott Hannan and Patrick Marleau.The Predators put some pressure on in the third after coach Peter Laviolette juggled his lines but Niemi was up to the task.We didnt generate anything for two periods, Laviolette said. We were just trying jump-start something. ... We had a lot of opportunities in the third but we just couldnt get it to fall.NOTES: Four of Thorntons eight goals this season have been empty-netters. ... Predators star D Shea Weber missed most of the second period to get stitches in his arm getting cut on the skate of Sharks F Tye McGinn. ' ' '