A dejected Wilfried Bony, left, and Die Serey of the Ivory Coast react after being defeated by Greece 2-1 during a World Cup match on Tuesday, June 24, in Fortaleza, Brazil.
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(CNN) -- Greece is through to the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time in its history after a dramatic 2-1 win against Ivory Coast in Group C.
Georgios Samaras kept a cool head to net from the penalty spot in injury time to seal second place in the group behind Colombia.
It was a cruel blow for the Ivorians who were themselves on course to make the knockout stages for the first time after Wilfried Bony scored in the 74th minute.
The Swansea City striker had leveled the scores after Andreas Samaris had put the Greeks ahead three minutes before the break.
A draw would have been enough for Sabri Lamouchi's side but Greece's persistence paid off when Samaras fired home a spot kick after being brought down by substitute Giovanni Sio in the 91st minute.
Victory means Fernando Santos' side finish second in Group C with four points and will now face Group D winners Costa Rica who drew with England 0-0 earlier on Tuesday.
Defeat not only brought Ivory Coast's tournament to an end but also the reign of manager Lamouchi who announced he was stepping down shortly after the match.
"I have put a lot of time and effort into the past two years but unfortunately my story with Ivory Coast ends this evening," Lamouchi said.
"The outcome is a cruel one but the Greeks did not steal this victory. I am very disappointed and sad and also for the players and the Ivorian people," he added.
Colombia, meanwhile, will meet Uruguay in Rio on Saturday after confirming top spot in the group with another convincing display.
A 4-1 win against Japan in Cuiaba ensured Jose Pekerman's side scored maximum points from their three matches.
Juan Cuadrado gave Los Cafeteros the lead in the 17th minute -- firing home from the penalty spot after Yasuyuki Konno had brought down Adrián Ramos.
Japan drew level on the stroke of halftime when Shinji Okazaki headed home from Keisuke Honda's cross before Colombia ran away with the match in the second half.
Jackson Martinez netted on the hour mark after substitute James Rodriguez's neat pass allowed the Porto striker to drill a low shot past goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima.
Uruguay striker Luis Suarez, who plays his club football with Liverpool, has been accused of biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during a World Cup match on Tuesday, June 24. Suarez has already been banned twice in his career for biting.
Controversial striker Luis Suarez
Martinez added a third with eight minutes remaining before Rodriguez banged in a fourth in the last minute of the match.
Colombia's will have to wait to see if Uruguay, who claimed second spot in Group D after beating Italy 1-0, will be fielding Luis Suarez.
The mercurial striker was once again in the spotlight for the wrong reasons after appearing to bite Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during the match in Natal.
The incident, which happened moments before Uruguay scored the winning goal, was not seen by the referee but is being investigated by FIFA.
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Greece's Georgios Samaras, right, celebrates scoring a penalty.
Goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon of Colombia acknowledges fans after his team defeated Japan 4-1 during a match in Cuiaba, Brazil.
Colombia's Jackson Martinez celebrates after scoring his second goal against Japan.
Colombia's James Rodriguez celebrates after scoring his team's fourth goal past goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima of Japan.
Wilfried Bony of the Ivory Coast celebrates scoring his team's first goal with Yaya Toure, left, and Gervinho.
Shinji Okazaki of Japan reacts during the game against Colombia.
Ivory Coast's goalkeeper Boubacar Barry makes a save against Greece.
Boubacar Barry of the Ivory Coast makes a save while Dimitris Salpingidis of Greece tries to take a shot.
Greece's players celebrates scoring against the Ivory Coast.
Ivory Coast's Didier Drogba heads the ball.
Greece's Georgios Samaras controls the ball.
Salomon Kalou of the Ivory Coast challenges Vasilis Torosidis of Greece.
Japan's Yoshito Okubo, bottom, and Colombia's Carlos Valdes vie for the ball.
Referee Pedro Proenca sprays a free kick line during the match between Japan and Colombia.
Japan's goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima fails to stop Colombia from scoring.
Greece's Andreas Samaris, left, fights for the ball with Ivory Coast's Ismael Cheick Tiote.
Ivory Coast's Serge Aurier, left, challenges Greece's Lazaros Christodoulopoulos.
Didier Drogba of the Ivory Coast reacts during the game.
Dimitris Salpingidis of Greece, left, and Die Serey of the Ivory Coast compete for the ball.
Orestis Karnezis of Greece takes a goal kick against the Ivory Coast.
Yaya Toure of the Ivory Coast is challenged by Giannis Maniatis, left, and Giorgos Karagounis of Greece.
Colombia's Carlos Valdes, left, vies for the ball with Japan's Shinji Okazaki during a World Cup match in Cuiaba, Brazil.
Jackson Martinez of Colombia controls the ball.
Pablo Armero of Colombia holds up a shirt with the number 100 during the match against Japan.
Colombia's Juan Guillermo Cuadrado celebrates after scoring a penalty.
Greece fans cheer during the game against the Ivory Coast.
An Ivory Coast fan enjoys the atmosphere prior to kickoff.
Colombia fans blow kisses during the game against Japan.
Colombia and Japan fans pose together for a selfie.
Diego Godin of Uruguay, left, celebrates scoring his team's first goal during a match against Italy in Natal, Brazil. Uruguay won 1-0.
Uruguay defender Diego Godin, third left, scores.
Giorgio Chiellini of Italy pulls down his shirt after a clash with Luis Suarez (not pictured), contending that the Uruguay player bit him.
Italy's Marco Parolo, left, and Uruguay's Maximiliano Pereira vie for the ball.
Adam Lallana of England is challenged by Oscar Duarte of Costa Rica during a match at Estadio Mineirao in Belo Horizonte. The game ended in a 0-0 draw.
Bryan Ruiz of Costa Rica competes for the ball with Ross Barkley, left, and Adam Lallana of England.
England forward Wayne Rooney, right, reacts after a challenge from Costa Rica defender Junior Diaz.
Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera grabs the ball away from Italy's Marco Parolo.
Frank Lampard of England controls the ball during the match against Costa Rica.
England forward Daniel Sturridge, left, challenges Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas.
Italy midfielder Marco Parolo, left, and Uruguay midfielder Alvaro Gonzalez vie during a match at the Dunas Arena in Natal.
Italy midfielder Claudio Marchisio, center, reacts as he is shown a red card by referee Marco Antonio Rodriguez Moreno.
Giorgio Chiellini of Italy and Edinson Cavani of Uruguay tussle.
Italy forward Ciro Immobile, left, vies with Uruguay defender Diego Godin.
Uruguay's Edinson Cavani, left, is fouled by Italy's Leonardo Bonucci in the penalty area.
Midfielder Marco Verratti of Italy heads the ball.
England goalkeeper Ben Foster leaps to catch the ball during the match between Costa Rica and England.
Mario Balotelli of Italy competes for the ball against Cristian Rodriguez, left, and Egidio Arevalo Rios, right, of Uruguay.
Italy defender Andrea Barzagli, left, and Uruguay forward Luis Suarez vie for the ball.
Diego Godin of Uruguay and Ciro Immobile of Italy compete for the ball.
Luis Suarez of Uruguay reacts during a fall.
Andrea Barzagli of Italy challenges Luis Suarez of Uruguay.
Marco Verratti of Italy tackles Cristian Rodriguez of Uruguay.
England defender Luke Shaw jumps over a Costa Rica player while going after the ball.
England midfielder Adam Lallana, right, vies for the ball against Costa Rica forward Bryan Ruiz.
A Uruguay fan holds a cutout of Cristian Rodriguez ahead of the match against Italy.
Italy fans hold up cardboard cutouts of forward Mario Balotelli, left, and midfielder Andrea Pirlo.
England supporters cheer for their team before the match against Costa Rica.
A Costa Rica fan enjoys the atmosphere prior to the match against England. 
Television pictures showed Suarez dipping his head towards Chiellini, right, and when the Italian defender eventually got up, he pulled down his shirt and appeared to furiously indicate that he had been bitten on the shoulder.
"I just collided with his shoulder. They are just casual incidences that occur during a soccer game," Suarez told reporters.
Suarez holds his mouth as Chiellini sits in the background. Suarez will now face a nervous wait to find out if football's world governing body FIFA will take action retrospectively -- given it was missed by the match officials -- and punish him.
Chiellini shows an apparent bite mark on his shoulder. "Suarez is a sneak, and he gets away with it because FIFA want their stars to play in the World Cup," Chiellini told Sky Sports Italia.
Suarez, left, celebrates the 1-0 win against Italy with his teammate Walter Gargano in the tunnel after the controversial match at Estadio das Dunas.
Suarez, fourth from left, heads the ball for teammate Daniel Sturridge to score his team's second goal during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Newcastle United on May 11.
Suarez, left, was banned for 10 games in April 2013 after being found guilty of biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic during a English Premier League soccer match.
Ivanovic demonstrates the bite he received from Suarez to a referee.
After his move to Liverpool in 2011, Suarez, left, was found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra and was fined $63,000 and banned for eight matches.
During his time in the Netherlands with Ajax in 2011, Suarez was banned for seven games after leaving a scar on the collarbone of Amsterdam player Otman Bakkal.
Suarez celebrates a goal during a match between Utrecht and Groningen at Utrecht, Netherlands, in 2007.
