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Belgium v Russia team news: Three Tottenham players DROPPED as Marouane Fellaini and Dries Mertens are rewarded with starting berths

The sides meet in a Group H encounter

Simon Rice
Sunday 22 June 2014 16:53 BST
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Marouane Fellaini celebrates bringing the scores level
Marouane Fellaini celebrates bringing the scores level (GETTY IMAGES)

Marouane Fellaini and Dries Mertens have been rewarded for their part in turning around Belgium's first game with places in the starting XI for today's Group H match against Russia.

The duo came off the bench against Algeria and both scored to ensure the tournament's 'dark horses' won their opening game 2-1. Those to make way are the Tottenham duo of Nacer Chadli and Moussa Dembele.

Also dropped from the starting side is Jan Vertonghen, another Tottenham player. Vertonghen gave away the penalty against Algeria that allowed the African side to go ahead.

Fabio Capello has kept faith with goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev despite his horrendous mistake in Russia's opening 1-1 draw with South Korea.

Belgium: Thibaut Courtois, Toby Alderweireld, Daniel Van Buyten, Vincent Kompany, Thomas Vermaelen, Axel Witsel, Marouance Fellaini, Kevin De Bruyne, Dries Mertens, Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku.

Russia: Igor Akinfeev, Aleksei Kozlov, Sergey Ignashevich, Maksim Kanunnikov, Denis Glushakov, Alexander Kokorin, Vasily Berezutskiy, Oleg Shatov, Alexander Samedov, Victor Fayzulin, Dmitry Kombarov

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