LATE call-up Divock Origi stole the show as Belgium showed they do substitutions better than anyone else at this World Cup.
Divock Origi scores Belgium's winner[REUTERS]All three of Belgium's goals in this tournament have now come from substitutes, and this one settled a dreadful game which could have gone either way.
Tipped as potential champions, Belgium again failed to set pulses racing and were stumbling to a draw until Origi struck in the 88th minute.
But they are through to the last 16, and they have that winning habit. They find a way, and that could be important later in the tournament.
Fabio Capello's Russia are not done yet either. Their fate will not be decided until they play Algeria on Thursday. But they can count themselves unlucky.
Belgium started well. They looked slicker and quicker than they had in their comeback win over Algeria.
Manchester United flop Marouane Fellaini ran the show in midfield and Dries Mertens looked dangerous in attack.
But all the best chances of the first half fell to Russia.
Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois, a league champion in Spain on loan with Atletico Madrid, made an early diving save from Victor Fayzulin.
The Russian forward was a threat all half and had a legitimate penalty claim waved away by referee Felix Brych after a clumsy tackle by Toby Alderweireld.
A nice drag-back from Fellaini helped release Mertens down the Russian left, and the Napoli winger, who gave Dmitry Kombaov kittens, raced off before shooting wide.
Mertens also watched one cross-shot whistle just wide of the far corner. But while Beglium dominated the play, Courtois was the busier of the two goalkeepers.
Alexander Kokorin then missed the chance of the half, glancing a free header wide after Fellaini had failed to cut out a cross from Denis Glushakov.
That was the first time Belgium skipper Vincent Kompany had been caught out in an otherwise flawless first half. Doubts about his fitness persisted before the game but his injured groin seemed to make no difference. One tackle even recalled Bobby Moore on Jairzinho in 1970.
But Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku, so impressive on loan at Everton this season, was poor. He paid for it by being hauled off early in the second half. He is yet to score in this World Cup and was so anonymous here he may find his place under threat for the rest of the tournament.
Security was tight at the Maracana after an invasion here by Chilean fans led to 86 arrests, and so were both defences.
Both teams knew this was the hardest test they would face in Group H and neither wanted to lose.
But there was a big incentive to go out and win it. After all, whoever finishes second in this group will probably face Germany in the last 16.
The Belgium players celebrate Origi's winner [REUTERS]Eden Hazard has just had a phenomenal season with Chelsea and was in the running for player of the year. But he's done little so far at this World Cup.
Russian substitute Andrey Eschenko went close as Capello's side briefly pulled the Belgium back four apart, but Courtois probably had it covered.
Since the break-up of the old Soviet Union, Russia have failed to make it out of the group stage, and little was expected of them here. But they more than held their own, despite substitute Kevin Mirallas hitting the foot of the post with a wicked free-kick from 25 yards.
Hazard then jinked and dazzled his way into the box on a trademark mazy run, but his shot was deflected wide and the corner came to nothing.
It was all Belgium in the closing moments, and the pressure eventually told. Hazard was the creator, racing to the byline to feed Origi, who smashed it home.
Mirallas had the chance to make it two in the dying moments, but fired the ball straight at Igor Akinfeev after more good work from Hazard.
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