Japan v Poland: Preview and possible lineups

What is at stake? Poland are already eliminated from the group stages, so they are playing for pride at this stage, meanwhile Japan need only one point to secure qualification for the last 16. 

Japan: Keisuke Honda is striving for a starting spot on Thursday having impressed after coming off the bench in their previous two matches. Goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima is at risk of being dropped, after a costly error against Senegal ended in a draw. 

Poland: With nothing to play for, bar national pride, Poland could make some interesting changes to their squad. Defender Kamil Glik could make an appearance, having been away with injury but was used as a substitute against Colombia. 

Japan captain, Makoto Hasebe:

''Japan are not the kind of team that can aim for a point and go and carry [a negative] plan out. I think we have to focus on getting three points rather than make calculations. We have four points after two games but we haven't accomplished anything yet.'' 

Poland captain, Robert Lewandowski:

''We realise we didn't do well enough but that is something we cannot overcome. We fought as much as we could but that was all we could do, bearing in mind the problems we had before the World Cup in terms of injuries and form.'' 

Did you know?

Japan and Poland have only met twice, with the former having emerged victorious in February 1996 with a 5-0 win, and again in March 2002 claiming a 2-0 victory. 

Prediction: 2-1

Possible lineups:

Japan: Kawashima; Sakai, Yoshida, Shoji, Nagatomo; Haraguchi, Hasebe, Kagawa, Shibasaki, Inui; Osako

Poland: Szczesny; Pazdan, Bednarek, Bereszynski, Piszczek; Goralski, Krychowiak, Rybus, Zielinski; Lewandowski, Kownacki.