Pekerman will unlock Greece for Colombia

Colombia captain Mario Yepes is confident coach Jose Pekerman has the right plan to defeat Greece in Belo Horizonte on Saturday.

Yepes claimed on Thursday there are no real surprises in modern football and that Colombia were ready to take on Greece at the Estadio Governador Magalhaes Pinto in their opening game of the FIFA World Cup's Group C.

The 38-year-old defender paid tributed to Pekerman and his coaching staff for the amount of work they had put into Colombia's preparation.

"This coaching staff is preparing for the games. The team has an overview of Greece and I imagine that they have a clear idea of Colombia also," Yepes said.

While Yepes expects Greece will try to play a 'closed game', he maintained Colombia will stick to their blueprint of dominance in possession and fluid movement, in their first appearance at a World Cup since 1998.

"The game with Greece will be very complicated as will all in this first phase," the Atalanta defender said.

"Our idea is to try to keep the ball. In some games it will be easier than others but we will always go into the match with the intention of having a fluid game."

Colombia's second Group C fixture will see them take on the Ivory Coast in Brasilia on June 19 before they play Japan five days later in Cuiaba.