Brazil looked sharp at the start of the match in Kazan but a Fernandinho own goal in the 16th minute followed by a superb Kevin De Bruyne strike just after the half-hour put Belgium in the driving seat.
The South American five-time champions came to Russia seeking to erase the pain of a 7-1 defeat against Germany in the semi-finals of the 2014 World Cup on home soil.
They had not conceded a goal in Russia since a 1-1 draw against Switzerland in their first group match.
But Belgium, ranked third in the world, looked devastating on the counter-attack, with De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard marauding forward at every opportunity, leaving Brazil shellshocked at the break.
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