Fifa World Cup: Belgium dump Brazil out at quarter-final stage with memorable 2-1 win
Brazil dominate the opening stages but went behind when midfielder Fernandinho put the ball into his own net in the 13th minute
A Fernandinho own goal and a brilliant Kevin De Bruyne strike gave Belgium a spot in the last-four for the second time after 1986 and sent Brazil home at the quarter-final stage for the third time in the last four World Cups.
Brazil dominated possession and carved out chance after chance but could not score until substitute Renato Augusto headed home Philippe Coutinho’s cross 14 minutes from time.
Roared on by the vast majority of the crowd at the Kazan Arena, the Brazilians poured forward to try and save the game but Roberto Firmino, Augusto and Coutinho spurned gilt-edged opportunities to level the scores.
If Belgium’s first goal in the 13th minute had an element of luck, the ball going into the net off Fernandinho’s shoulder from a corner, the second in the 31st minute was a shining example of counter-attacking football.
Romelu Lukaku took the ball with his back to goal, turned into space and stormed past Fernandinho up the pitch before releasing De Bruyne on his right for the playmaker to rifle the ball into the net from the edge of the box.