Dpa/Rio de Janeiro

Young and fancied Belgium face ageing 2018 hosts Russia in a World Cup duel of contrasts on Sunday. Russia needs to win after being held to an opening draw while Belgium qualify for the knock-out stages if they prevail at the Maracana.

Fancied Belgium run into Russia on Sunday at the Maracana in a World Cup duel of contrasts.

Fabio Capello's Russians are the only team whose entire 23-player squad is from domestic league clubs, and they are also one of the older squads despite transition attempts by the Italian coach ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The Belgium of coach Marc Wilmots are the third-youngest team, and 20 of their players earn their money abroad - 11 of them, such as Chelsea's Eden Hazard and Everton's Romelu Lukaku, in the English Premier League.

Wilmots grabbed the 3-2 winner when the two sides met for the last time at the World Cup, in the final group game in 2002 which saw the Belgians through and Russia eliminated.

The permutations are similar this time around in the Group H fixture in Rio de Janeiro.

Belgium came from behind to edge Algeria 2-1 in their opener while the Russians drew 1-1 with South Korea. A defeat would leave Russia's qualification hopes hanging by a thread while Belgium would assure themselves of a place in the knock-out rounds with victory.

Both have a fourth-place finish as their best result on the world stage, Russia in 1966 and Belgium 20 years later, with a last 16 win over the Soviet Union en route. This time around only the talented Belgians appear capable of reaching the later stages if all goes well.

"Belgium are capable of winning the World Cup," said Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini, who headed the equalizer against Algeria.

Wilmots is sweating on the fitness of key defender Vincent Kompany from English champions Manchester City, who missed Friday training, but is as upbeat as Fellaini in general.

"The opponent has a lot of experience. We must control the game as well against them (as against Algeria). We will not change our philosophy. Losing is not in our dictionary," Wilmots said.

Wilmots may draw on the knowledge of Nicolas Lombaerts and Axel Witsel, who play in the Russian league at Zenit St Petersburg.

"We must watch out for their quick transition game," Lombaerts warned, fearing especially Alexander Kerzhakov as "an excellent striker."

However, Russia's first game showed that Capello faces a lot of work and is yet to have as much youth at his disposal as Wilmots. Russia have six players aged 30 and more, Belgium none.

Reports suggest that it is difficult for young Russians to make their presence felt because they find it hard getting into club teams where established Russians or foreigners stand in their way.

Forward Alan Dzagoev, who turned 24 on Tuesday, is still considered young. Kerzhakov is 31, midfielder Yuri Zhirkov 30, and central defenders Vasili Berezutskiy and Sergey Ignashevich 31 and 32, respectively, and unlikely to feature in four years time.

"These are the players with whom I can work," Capello was quoted as saying by Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung, which added that the Russian team looked like "more like a bunch of men in early retirement with tired legs against South Korea."

Capello will hope to get as many matches as possible in Brazil to give his youngsters some experience, and Ignashevich has promised improvement on Sunday.

"We will play better against Belgium as against South Korea, because it can't get any worse," he said.