MATCH REPORT: Belgium 1 Russia 0
Teenage super-sub Divock Origi fired Belgium into the second round as his late winner settled a turgid encounter with Russia at the Maracana.
Fabio Capello's Russia side looked the more likely victors in the second half but Eden Hazard sparked into life in the final five minutes and fed Origi, who fired past Igor Akinfeev.
Russia's start would have encouraged Capello after his side's opening draw with South Korea and Viktor Fayzulin threatened for the Russians early when he crafted some space on the edge of the box only to see his effort pushed wide by Thibaut Courtois.
The Belgians responded immediately as Dries Mertens fired a low cross toward Romelu Lukaku but the striker couldn't arrive in time to poke home the opener.
Mertens continued the impressive form he showed against Algeria and looked dangerous down the flank as he charged at a retreating Russian backline before unleashing a powerful effort that narrowly missed the target.
The Napoli man was proving to be a thorn in Russia's side and when he was released down the right he easily skipped past Dmitri Kombarov but his drilled cross was punched clear by Akinfeev.
However, despite the threat from Mertens the best chance of the half fell to Russia when frontman Alexander Kokorin ghosted between the two Belgian centre backs but was unable to test Courtois after a cross from the left gifted him a free header.
The second-half started slowly but threatened to burst into life just before the hour mark when a Belgian counter-attack saw Eden Hazard pick the ball up on the left and try a one-two in the box with substitute Origi but the Chelsea man couldn't latch on to the return ball.
However, Origi became isolated as Belgium struggled to close the gap between midfield and attack and Mertens, so dangerous in the opening 45 minutes, faded into obscurity as Russia picked off any attempts at progress.
Capello's men were growing in confidence and Belgium looked bereft of ideas as they were exposed on the right when full-back Andrey Eshchenko was teed up in space and fired across Courtois' goal but saw his shot go wide.
But Belgium were awoken when Kevin Mirallas's free-kick in the final ten minutes from 25 yards had Akinfeev beaten low to his right but the Everton man was denied by the woodwork.
It was the catalyst Belgium needed and Hazard awoke to create space and test Akinfeev who turned the ball wide.
It was the Chelsea man who was in the thick of the action again as he broke down the left and drove to the byline before pulling the ball back to youngster Origi who fired past Akinfeev to send Belgium into the knockout stages.
Belgium: (4-3-3): Courtois, Alderwierld, Van Buyten, Kompany, Vermaelen (Vertonghen 31), Witsel, Fellaini, De Bruyne, Mertens (Mirallas 75), Hazard, Lukaku (Origi 57).
Subs not used: Bossut, Lombaerts, V-Borre, Defour, Ciman, Mignolet, Dembele, Chadli, Januzaj.
Russia (4-2-3-1): Akinfeev, Kozlov (Eshchenko 62), Berezutskiy, Ignashevich, Kombarov, Glushakov, Kanunnikov, Faizulin, Samedov, Shatov (Dzagoev 83), Kokorin.
Subs not used: Zhirkov, Kerzhakov, Denisov, Ionov, Ryzhikov, Shchennikov, Granat, Mogilevets Lodygin, Semyonov.
Referee: Felix Brych.
Attendance: 73,819.
