Sport / Fifa World Cup 2018

World Cup: Belgium downs England but both advance

08:28 am on 29 June 2018

FIFA World Cup - Belgium have beaten England 1-0 in their final group match but both sides have advanced to the last 16 of the football World Cup in Russia.

Marcus Rashford came the closest to scoring for England. Photo: Photosport

A superb second-half strike from Adnan Januzaj gave Belgium the win, putting them at the top of Group G and consigning England to second place.

Belgium now play Japan in Rostov-on-Don on Tuesdsay while England play Colombia in Moscow on Wednesday in the knockout phase.

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  • Victory in the next round would see Belgium play Brazil or Mexico with England up against Sweden or Switzerland.

    Belgium and England both rested several first-choice players, despite half-chances at either end, the fans wondered if their teams were willing to accept second spot for an arguably easier run-in by avoiding the more fancied teams.

    Yet six minutes into the second half when the 23-year-old Januzaj shimmied on the edge of the box and sent a perfect shot into the far corner of the net past England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford there was delight in the Belgian camp.

    England rued a wasted opportunity by Marcus Rashford after 66 minutes, when he fired wide after finding himself one-on-one with Thibaut Courtois in the Belgian goal.

    But having rested striker Harry Kane and seven others, they found no reply.