World Cup - Russia 2 Belgium 3

Two goals in three minutes took Belgium into a second round meeting with Brazil.

Veteran Marc Wilmots angled a shot into the far corner after a Bart Goor cross in the 82nd minute to hit what proved to be the winner.

Substitute striker Wesley Sonck helped set up the date with Brazil next Monday by heading in a corner from Johan Walem in the 79th minute after Belgium had started the second half by letting their lead slip and going to the brink of elimination.

Parma AC transfer target Dmitry Sychyov was put clear by Dmitry Khokhlov and his shot rebounded off Gert De Vlieger and into the face of goal where Vladimir Beschastnykh was running in to hit the target.

Marc Wilmots miskicked a shot in front of goal after a low cross from Mbo Mpenza and goal scorer Johan Walem missed an open goal by hitting the side-netting.

Sychyov scored with three minutes to go on the run to rattle the Belgians but they hung on. Substitute Alexander Kerzhakov hits a header over the bar in stoppage time with Khokhlov also coming close.

It almost all went wrong for Belgium after they took a seventh minute lead and went on to take control of the first half.

Johan Walem curled in a free kick from distance with his left foot for a great strike and just after Mbo Mpenza had a shot parried away by goalkeeper Ruslan Nigmattulin.

Mpenza came close with another shot and Gert Verheyen hit a powerful drive over the cross bar as Russia struggled.

They had Andrei Solomatin booked and he will miss the next game with veterans Yuri Nikiforov and Alexei Smertin going off with injuries to disrupt their side but at least forceful striker Dmitry Sychyov was introduced.