Adnan Januzaj's moment of quality early in the second half earned Belgium a 1-0 win over England in Thursday night's Group G showdown.
The former Manchester United attacker curled the ball out of Jordan Pickford's reach to condemn the Three Lions to second place in the group.
England's only real chance all evening fell to Marcus Rashford, who was denied by Thibaut Courtois when clean through on goal.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the World Cup meeting between England and Belgium at the Kaliningrad Stadium. This is a straight shootout for top spot in Group G, with both teams already assured of a place in the last 16 of the competition after winning their first two matches in Russia with some swagger.
Group G will conclude over the next few hours, but the final ball has already been kicked in Group H. Results elsewhere today will have a big bearing on England and Belgium, as Colombia beat Senegal 1-0 to finish top of the standings. Japan were happy to play out a 1-0 loss to Poland, meanwhile, meaning that they finish as runners-up. The winners of Group G will therefore face Japan in the next round.
ENGLAND TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Pickford; Cahill, Jones, Stones; Alexander-Arnold, Delph, Dier, Loftus-Cheek, Rose; Vardy, Rashford
SUBS: Walker, Maguire, Lingard, Henderson, Kane, Sterling, Trippier, Butland, Welbeck, Young, Alli, Pope
Both managers have the luxury of rotating their sides tonight, of course, so there is no real surprise to see Gareth Southgate make eight changes to his starting lineup. The one surprise omission from the XI, though, is the tournament's leading goalscorer Harry Kane, who many had down as a certainty to feature from the off. Instead, Jamie Vardy and Marcus Rashford will start up top.
Strike pair Rashford and Vardy are making their first starts in Russia, as are Trent Alexander-Arnold, Gary Cahill, Eric Dier, Phil Jones, Fabian Delph and Danny Rose. Some of those players have yet to get on the pitch at all in the tournament, so this is all about Southgate ensuring that each of his men have some playing time under their belts ready for the knockout phase.
Only three players remain from the 6-1 win over Panama, with Jordan Pickford, John Stones and Ruben Loftus-Cheek all included from the off. Jordan Pickford, or perhaps even Nick Pope, may have been given a run-out today, but Southgate clearly does not want to rotate in the goalkeeping department, where the risk of burnout is far less frequent. A new-look XI, then, and a chance for a handful of players to force their way into the reckoning.
BELGIUM TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Courtois; Boyata, Dendoncker, Vermaelen; Chadli, Dembele, Fellaini, T. Hazard; Tielemans, Batshuayi, Januzaj
SUBS: Alderweireld, Kompany, Vertonghen, Witsel, De Bruyne, Carrasco, Mignolet, Casteels, Meunier
Anything Southgate can do, Roberto Martinez can do better! Just the nine changes made by the Belgium boss, keeping only Thibaut Courtois and Dedryck Boyata in his starting lineup from the 5-2 win against Tunisia. Martinez teased that he would change each and every one of his outfield players for this final Group G game, but Vincent Kompany's continued absence means that Boyata is required.
We already knew that star striker Romelu Lukaku would not feature tonight as he picked up a minor injury last week, while Kevin De Bruyne, Thomas Meunier and Jan Vertonghen each have a booking to their name and risk suspension. Eden Hazard and Dries Mertens are also suffering from an ankle and calf problem respectively, so you can understand why Martinez has rotated his side so heavily.
There is a Hazard in the starting lineup, though - Eden's brother Thorgan, who plies his trade for Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga. Michy Batshuayi is the man tasked with leading the line, and he already has one goal to his name in Russia from six attempts; that coming from just 22 minutes on the field. Adnan Januzaj and Youri Tielemans, the latter earning his 11th cap this evening, are also included from the off.
Gareth Southgate and Roberto Martinez have made mass changes to their starting lineups. Jordan Pickford, John Stones and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are the only three England players to retain their places in the side from the 6-1 win over Panama, while Belgium have retained Thibaut Courtois and Dedryck Boyata following last week's 5-2 triumph against Tunisia.
There has been plenty of talk in the build-up to this game about whether finishing top is actually the best outcome. Following the conclusion of Group H a little earlier, we now know that whoever tops Group G will face Japan in the last 16 and then either Brazil or Mexico in the quarter-finals. The reward for the side that finishes second, meanwhile, is a last-16 match against Colombia and then a more favourable quarter against one of Denmark or Sweden.
Essentially, then, the same question still remains: is finishing in first better than coming second? The word from both managers, as you would expect, is that they have sent their sides out to simply pick up all three points in Kaliningrad this evening. The Three Lions are competing in their 14th finals, but only twice have they gone further than the last eight; the Red Devils are in their 13th finals and have reached the quarters just twice.
One thing is for certain ahead of this Group G finale - Southgate has got England supporters excited again, with a positive style of play and a good run of form that has been carried into the tournament. The Three Lions have won both of their World Cup matches thus far, netting a late Harry Kane goal against Tunisia in their opener and then comfortably seeing off Panama 6-1 last time out.
England played some good football against Tunisia and will feel that the three points were deserved, even if they did massively ride their luck after failing to convert chances in front of goal. Profligacy was not an issue against Panama, on Sunday lunchtime though, as they netted five times in the first half alone en route to recording their biggest-ever win at a major tournament.
You can only beat the side in front of you, of course, but it has to be remembered that England have so far taken on a pretty terrible side by World Cup standards and another team that you would expect them to beat nine times out of 10. On the flipside, the Three Lions have so often faltered against the so-called minnows, being held to a goalless draw by Algeria eight years ago and then infamously being knocked out by Iceland at Euro 2016.
England are now unbeaten in 12 matches since going down 3-2 to France in a friendly over a year ago, and they have lost just two of 21 - the other loss coming in a friendly to Germany - since being knocked out of Euro 2016. That run includes four wins on the spin, and there is no doubt that carrying that momentum into the knockout stages is vital. Two years ago, in fact, a final-game draw to Slovakia saw them relinquish top spot to Wales and then falter against Iceland.
Southgate's men have already showed two sides of their game in Russia, keeping their cool to overcome Tunisia late on when things were going against them, before showing their ruthless side against a poor Panama side. Yet on both occasions it was all about getting midfielders in behind to support Kane, while also making the most of set-piece opportunities. Eight goals from two matches is not bad going - only once before, in 1966, have they bettered that tally across the tournament.
England are also looking to win all three of their World Cup group matches for the first time since 1982 when beating France, Czechoslovakia and Kuwait, which we know would secure top spot and set up a last-16 tie with Japan. There has been a definite improvement in terms of fan/ media engagement and performances on the field, although as ever this cannot be deemed a successful campaign unless a quarter-final spot is secured.
DID YOU KNOW? Harry Kane, who is among England's subs this evening, has netted five goals during the group phase. Russia's Oleg Salenko was the last player to score more, finding the back of the net six times at USA 94. Kane has also now scored in each of his last five Three Lions outings, which is bettered only by Tommy Lawton who scored in six successive matches back in 1939.
Harry Kane needs just one more goal to match the six scored by Gary Lineker en route to winning the Golden Boot at Mexico 86, having plundered five in his first two Group G outings. Kane has scored those five goals from five shots, but the Three Lions now need others to chip in. From 107 caps, Raheem Sterling, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have nine goals between them.
Belgium can no longer be considered dark horses on the big stage, having been so heavily backed by neutrals the world over. This is undoubtedly a golden generation, arguably hitting their peak, but they have failed to live up to the hype in the last two major competitions that they have qualified for. In 2014 they were knocked out in the quarters after squeezing past the United States, while two years ago they came unstuck to Wales at the same stage.
That, quite simply, is not good enough and it cost Marc Wilmots his job after the Euro 2016 exit. Roberto Martinez was surprisingly appointed in his place and the Red Devils have lost just one game since - the very first outing under the Spaniard against his home nation. Martinez has been criticised by supporters and indeed his players, yet Belgium are one of just a few sides to have performed in each of their games thus far.
Belgium put three goals past Panama after being frustrated in a goalless first half, before seeing off Tunisia 5-2 last time out. They may have conceded twice, but there were far more positives than negatives to take out of that match, including two more goals for top scorer Romelu Lukaku and a confidence-boosting strike for Michy Batshuayi. It is now 21 matches since the Red Devils last tasted defeat.
At the World Cup, meanwhile, Belgium have won their last six group matches since 2002 and are unbeaten in 11 games at this stage. That is an impressive record, but anything less than a semi-final appearance would surely be considered a disappointment for this talented group. They certainly have momentum on their side, as they won nine out of 10 games in an unbeaten qualifying campaign, scoring an incredible 43 goals and shipping just six.
It should be mentioned, though, that the Red Devils have not exactly come face to face with many heavyweight sides over the past couple of years. Spain are the toughest opponent faced, with that match ending in a 2-0 loss, while Portugal claimed a goalless draw in Brussels earlier this month. There is a fear that, while Belgium can easily overcome the lesser sides, they struggle when the tough gets going.
Belgium are aiming to become the first side ever at the World Cup to win three games in a row by three goals or more, having defeated Panama 3-0 and Tunisia 5-2 so far. The Red Devils are no strangers to starting strongly, as they have won their first two group matches on five previous occasions, but only once before have they made it three wins from three - that coming in 2014 when they were dumped out in the quarters.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! England are unbeaten in their previous two matches against Belgium at the World Cup, playing out a 4-4 draw in 1954 and winning 1-0 in a second-round tie 28 years ago, courtesy of a David Platt volley in extra time. The Three Lions, in fact, are without defeat in 11 games against tonight's opponents, most recently coming out on top in a pre-Euro 2014 tie.
With kickoff at the Kaliningrad Stadium now less than five minutes away, let us check out some pre-match thoughts from both camps.
Gareth Southgate: "I don't think the style of how we play should change. You are going to face different sorts of tests and challenges, but the way we want to play won't change. When we are attacking we just have to be more alert to counter-attacks and when we are defending, we have got to make sure our individual and collective defending is at a really high level."
Roberto Martinez: "The difficulty that we have in Belgium is that we have too many players that deserve to win the World Cup. Anyone could play. If that's the case, they need to be ready, to be ambassadors of our game in Belgium. We need to create momentum in the squad."
A reminder that both of these sides have already qualified for the last 16. England and Belgium are level on points, goal difference and goals scored, so disciplinary records may well decide who finishes top of Group G. The Three Lions have picked up one yellow card fewer than their opponents, but should that be levelled out then the drawing of lots will take place.
KICKOFF! England get us up and running in Kaliningrad. Winning the match is the order of the day for both the Three Lions and Belgium, regardless of the various different scenarios that could unfold beyond this point.
Jamie Vardy gets the better of Thorgan Hazard with just a couple of minutes on the clock and fizzes a cross towards the back post. Thibaut Courtois did not look all that comfortable, simply throwing out a leg to divert it away.
Hazard and Nacer Chadli are being used in wing-back roles for Belgium tonight, so there is a real opportunity for England to get in behind time and time again. Rashford tries to do exactly that down the left, but Boyata got across well.
England have looked the livelier of the two sides in the early stages. Courtois has had a difficult cross to contend with, as the Three Lions look to get at the opposition's makeshift wing-backs in Thorgan Hazard and Nacer Chadli.
SAVE! Jordan Pickford makes his first save of the 2018 World Cup. Youri Tielemans with a great technique to send his long-range drive dipping down the middle, and the England keeper could only parry it back into the middle of his box.
Not all that convinced by Pickford's save a couple of minutes ago - he should have been pushing Tielemans' shot over his crossbar, although it did not matter in the end as nobody in red could react. All of a sudden, it is Belgium who are on top.
OFF THE LINE! This is a bizarre one. Marouane Fellaini headed the ball into the middle and Michy Batshuayi flicked it into the hands of Pickford. All of a sudden the ball was loose, though, and the striker's prodded shot trickled towards the line, with Gary Cahill there to clear.
England are back in control of this wide-open match. Rashford has a shot that deflects out of play and Vardy was on the end of a right-sided cross that he could only head wide of the target. Neither team willing to sit back in the opening 15 minutes.
Things starting to quieten down a little now in Kaliningrad. A lively opening quarter to the match, with Belgium coming closest to making a breakthrough. In terms of possession, the Three Lions are just about edging things.
Marouane Fellaini completely wipes out Ruben Loftus-Cheek and is fortunate to avoid seeing a yellow card. Bookings, remember, could well determine who tops Group G come the end of the night if the scoreline remains this way.
YELLOW CARD! Youri Tielemans is shown the game's first caution for halting the run of Danny Rose. The Three Lions now have some breathing space in the disciplinary stakes - something I did not expect to be saying before this tournament!
The match started lively enough but the levels have dropped just a tad over the last five minutes or so. That was always going to be a risk with both sides already safely through, but a goal either way will hopefully make things interesting.
More than midway through the first half of this Group G clash and Chadli has just pumped a ball forward for Pickford to gather. Belgium, unlike Tunisia and certainly unlike Panama, looking to really get at England here.
The Red Devils starting to dominate possession at the Kaliningrad Stadium. Nothing too threatening, with their best moments so far coming in the opening 13 minutes or so. It has all been pretty quiet since then, as Batshuayi's shot is blocked behind by Stones.
SHOT! The game's best moments are continuing to fall Belgium's way. Marouane Fellaini is somehow given time to chest down a corner and get a shot away, which Trent Alexander-Arnold blocked before it could reach the back of the net.
Mexican wave time at the Kaliningrad Stadium, which is never a good sign! Belgium will argue that they have done enough to warrant a lead, but the overall quality of the match has not been great. Alexander-Arnold's cross dips behind Courtois' goal.
YELLOW CARD! Danny Rose is taken out for a second time tonight, this time by Leander Dendoncker who joins Youri Tielemans in receiving a yellow card. Plenty of pushing and shaving as England prepare to take the free kick.
CLOSE! Trent Alexander-Arnold eventually takes the free kick and it is cleared behind for a corner, from which Ruben Loftus-Cheek nods the ball into the ground and wide of the opposition net. That is England's best chance so far.
It has no impact on events in Kaliningrad, but there is news of a goal from the other Group G match taking place tonight. Panama have taken a surprise lead against Tunisia, which would be enough to secure third place for the Central Americans.
Marouane Fellaini is winning far too many balls in the box for Gareth Southgate's liking. The first half is edging towards a conclusion and it is Belgium who have come closest to making a breakthrough, with Thibaut Courtois yet to make a save.
Vardy and Rashford have been given so little to feed off up top so far. Up the other end of the field, Batshuayi has had one lively moment but not done a great deal either side of his prodded shot, which was cleared off the line by Gary Cahill.
The ball sits up nicely for Loftus-Cheek to blast around 20 yards from goal, but he takes a touch and is dispossessed. A chance to counter is on for Belgium, but the move quickly breaks down and they are back to square one.
Boyata responds well to a cross being swung into the box, getting his head to the ball ahead of Fabian Delph, who has now been given licence to join Rashford and Vardy up top. No added time to be played at the end of this first half.
HALF TIME: ENGLAND 0-0 BELGIUM
They have scored 16 goals between them so far in Russia, but after 45 minutes in Kaliningrad it is all square between England and Belgium. Not an awful lot between the sides, though it is the Red Devils who have edged things on the whole.
Just short of 10 minutes of England's third group game had passed when Jordan Pickford made his first save of the tournament, doing just about enough to keep out a stinging shot from Youri Tielemans. A bizarre moment shortly after saw Michy Batshuayi flick the ball goalwards for Pickford to collect, only for it to squirm out of his grasp and giving Batshuayi a second attempt.
The prodded shot found its way past Pickford but was stopped before it could cross the line by covering defender Gary Cahill, who is one of seven England players to make their first start of the tournament. All the best first-half moments were falling Belgium's way, as Marouane Fellaini controlled a corner with his chest and blasted the ball goalwards, where Trent Alexander-Arnold was waiting to block it before it could reach the back of the net.
England looked disjointed when attempting to put attacking moves together, with Marcus Rashford and Jamie Vardy barely getting a sniff, and their only real opportunity culminated in Ruben Loftus-Cheek heading a corner into the ground and wide of the target. Not the greatest of first halves, then, but there are still 45 minutes for one of these sides to snatch a win.
BENCH WATCH!
ENGLAND SUBS: Walker, Maguire, Lingard, Henderson, Kane, Sterling, Trippier, Butland, Welbeck, Young, Alli, Pope
BELGIUM SUBS: Alderweireld, Kompany, Vertonghen, Witsel, De Bruyne, Carrasco, Mignolet, Casteels, Meunier
RESTART! We are back under way at the Kaliningrad Stadium. The neutrals in attendance made their displeasure known at the end of the first half by jeering the players off the field, so fingers crossed for an improved second half!
There is news of a half-time change to bring you for the interval. Harry Maguire has come on for John Stones in a like-for-like change. The Chelsea defender appears to have his calf taped up on the subs' bench, so an injury scare for the Three Lions.
This has not been a terrible game, in fairness, but it has been well below the levels of most games we have seen in Russia this summer. As mentioned a little earlier, there was always a risk that this match would pass by with little incident.
Marcus Rashford had his first sight of goal a couple of minutes ago, helping the ball onto his right boot and curling it well wide of the Belgium net - disappointing. The Three Lions steadily building some momentum now in Kaliningrad.
GOAL! ENGLAND 0-1 BELGIUM (ADNAN JANUZAJ)
One of the numerous Belgium players with Premier League experience to their name puts them into the lead. The first piece of serious quality we have seen in the attacking third, as Adnan Januzaj rolled his boot over the ball to take Danny Rose out of the game, before curling the ball out of Jordan Pickford's reach.
That was a fine finish from Januzaj, giving this game a bit of an edge at long last. The onus is now on England to hit back, unless they do of course want to finish second! Alexander-Arnold's free kick is struck right into the jumping wall.
Harry Kane is now warming up and may be with us shortly. Due to their superior disciplinary record, a leveller for England would send them to the top of Group G. Januzaj with another shot, which this time hits Maguire and goes out for a throw.
Almost an hour played in Kaliningrad and it is Belgium who lead through the game's only real moment of quality. Jamie Vardy has just clashed heads with Thomas Vermaelen, leaving the defender in a bad way on the ground. A short stoppage is needed to patch up his bloodied face.
No sign of any changes being made just yet, as we enter the final half an hour of the game. England have already been forced into one sub, bringing on Harry Maguire for John Stones at the interval due to a muscular injury.
It is just not happening for England at the moment, which has been the case all evening pretty much. Still just the one goal in it, though, and a draw will suit England more so than their opponents if it is top spot they are after.
SAVE! Huge, huge chance for Marcus Rashford to net a World Cup goal. The young striker was played clean through on goal but was unable to squeeze the ball past Thibaut Courtois, who got a touch on its way through.
Fingertips from Thibaut Courtois to keep out that Marcus Rashford shot. The striker really should have been tucking it away, though, and had he done so there would have been real calls for him to start the first knockout-round tie.
Tunisia have scored a couple of second-half goals against Panama to put them 2-1 up. Group G has changed a little since kickoff, with Belgium now top, England second, Tunisia third and Panama bottom. That could change again come full time.
England have had the better of things since going a goal down, though that Rashford chance was the first time that they have seriously troubled the opposition. We are now into the final 20 minutes and both managers are reluctant to make changes.
BELGIUM SUB! Not sure if this was a sub that Roberto Martinez planned on making, but the facial injury sustained by Thomas Vermaelen has made things a little easier. Vincent Kompany is on for his first appearance in a month.
Harry Maguire pulls off at the back post and sends a looping header back into the middle. Thibaut Courtois gathered pretty comfortably in the end, with England being left further frustrated. Not enough urgency from the Three Lions tonight.
Thirteen minutes left to play of a pretty forgetful contest in Kaliningrad. No shame in that, with both teams already home and dry, but you have to question whether England have now lost all of the momentum that had been steadily building.
ENGLAND SUB! Trent Alexander-Arnold's first tournament outing ends with 79 minutes played. Danny Welbeck is on in his place, so Gareth Southgate will change things around for these closing stages as his side chase a goal.
Belgium have offered nothing since going ahead to suggest that they intend to build on their lead. England have instead been allowed to boss things, but it is proving to be a frustrating night. Rashford's free kick dips over the crossbar.
Southgate and Martinez have one and two substitutes available to use respectively should they wish. To give this game a true 'friendly feel', it would not be surprising to see Jack Butland enter the fray for Jordan Pickford shortly!
CLOSE! Danny Welbeck strikes the ball well and it looked to be on target. Marouane Fellaini stuck out a boot, sending the ball flying inches past the opposite post. From the corner, Thibaut Courtois again made it his own.
It is looking like a last-16 tie against Colombia for England, whereas Belgium will face Japan. The easier of the two games, but the Three Lions dodge Brazil in the quarters if they make it that far. A goal here changes all that...
BELGIUM SUB! Dries Mertens is on for likely matchwinner Adnan Januzaj for the closing stages. A brilliant goal from the Manchester United academy product, whose career badly stalled in English football.
SAVE! A fine effort from substitute Dries Mertens in the final minute of normal time, which Jordan Pickford saved. Again, though, it was far from a convincing stop, with the ball going right back into the middle of the box.
FULL TIME: ENGLAND 0-1 BELGIUM
The full-time whistle sounds, meaning that England's 12-match unbeaten run is over. The Three Lions fall to a 1-0 defeat, setting up a last-16 tie with Colombia next Tuesday, whereas Belgium will now face Group H runners-up Japan. The good news for Gareth Southgate, however, is that Sweden or Switzerland await in the last eight if they make it that far.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events from the Kaliningrad Stadium. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, while reaction from this Group G showdown can be found elsewhere on the site in due course. Thanks for joining, and be sure to return on Saturday for the first of the knockout-round ties!
