Soccer: Late goals take Belgium into second round

SHIZUOKA - Belgium scored twice in the last 12 minutes to seal a thrilling 3-2 victory over Russia tonight and a place in the World Cup's second round.

Vladimir Beschastnykh's second-half equaliser looked to have earned Russia a place in the last 16 but strikes by substitute Wesley Sonck and captain Marc Wilmots ended Belgium's five-match streak of World Cup finals draws and set up a clash with Brazil.

Russian substitute Dmitry Sychev scored two minutes from time to give his side hope, but it was too late.

Belgium finished runners-up in group H on five points, two behind Japan and two ahead of the Russians who failed to qualify for the second round for their third straight World Cup.

Robert Waseige's Belgian side started brightly knowing they needed a victory to keep alive their hopes of progressing and full merited their lead when Johan Walem superbly curled a free kick into the top corner from 25 metres.

Mbo Mpenza and Gert Verheyen, twice, had excellent chances to increase their lead in the opening period against a misfiring Russian team.

Russia, with unfit playmaker Alexander Mostovoi again on the substitutes' bench, looked devoid of attacking menace in a terrible first-half display.

Romantsev, his job on the line, lost patience after 34 minutes and brought on 18-year-old striker Sychev but Russia suffered another blow before the interval when central defender Yuri Nikiforov had to come off with a calf injury.

Sychev's arrival on the pitch had sparked Russia to their 2-0 victory over Tunisia and they looked a little better at the start of the second period. But their goal came out of nothing.

Dmitry Khokhlov loped forward and found Sychev streaking clear. When his shot was saved, Beschastnykh gleefully snapped up the rebound.

Stung by the goal, Belgium desperately poured forward in search of another goal but central defender Viktor Onopko, winning his 100th cap for Russia, kept their rearguard well protected until Sonck powered in a header eight minutes after coming on. Wilmots scored with a deflected shot four minutes later and Sychev's late goal was a mere consolation for Russia.

- REUTERS

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