Mirallas on as a sub in Belgium win

Kevin Mirallas and Belgium secured qualification to the knockout phase with victory over Russia at the Maracanã in the first World Cup match of the day.

Mirallas again started on the bench having seen no action against Algeria last Tuesday while Romelu Lukaku led the line but was withdrawn again after 56 minutes following another ineffectual display.

The Russians should have gone into the half time break a goal up but Korkorin headed wide from 8 yards out with the whole target to aim at.

The game remained tight but had started opening up by the time Mirallas entered the fray with 15 minutes to go. The Everton forward rolled a free kick off the post, the closest Belgium had come to scoring up to that point, before Divock Origi, who had again replaced the peripheral Lukaku before an hour had elapsed, banged home the winner late on.

Mirallas could have made the game safe in stoppage time but his tame side-foot shot was saved by Akinfeev.

Belgium advance to the second phase as the likely Group H winners where they will play the second place team in the USA's Group G.

 



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