After Saturday's goalless draw with Croatia, Scotland knew defeat was unthinkable if they were to retain a realistic chance of making next summer's jamboree in Japan and South Korea.

With Belgium also desperate for a win to ensure they did not have to visit Zagreb needing victory, there was a caginess about an opening period in which Scotland kept far better possession than they had managed against Croatia.

Paul Lambert was far neater on the ball, rarely wasting a pass initially and winning important tackles from his holding role in midfield.

But although Scotland were controlling much of the game and showing characteristically impressive fight, the question was whether they could manufacture a clear chance without real pace in attack.

The early signs were not positive, and when Lambert sent Tom Boyd clear down the right, the Celtic defender failed to produce a telling cross.

Whether by accident or design, Belgium seemed content to strike on the counter-attack. Their principal plan was to stretch Scotland down the flanks via Bart Goor and Gert Verheyen, and to push players forward from deep through the middle when the opportunity allowed.

They twice went close before taking the lead just before the half-hour. Marc Wilmots, already boasting an impressive international scoring record of 24 goals from 58 games, went close from 25 yards before Wesley Sonck beat Neil Sullivan to a high ball and headed over.

It was Sonck, scorer of two hat-tricks this season for Genk and winning only his third cap, who created Belgium's opening goal. His pass bisected Matt Elliott and David Weir, and the left-back Nico van Kerkhoven accelerated through to beat Sullivan comfortably with a low shot.

That changed the complexion of the game. Belgium were now in the ascendancy, keeping the ball and dictating proceedings to such a degree that Scotland barely mounted an attack for the remainder of the half.

Defensively Scotland were looking far from solid, and with their set-pieces coming to nothing it was difficult to see where a goal might come from. Had Sonck connected with a knock-down and Verheyen not wasted a clear shooting chance, it might have been over before the hour.

Far from dominating with five in midfield, as Brown hoped, Scotland were largely on the back foot. And when they had the ball in the second half it was too often given away, either through poor passing or a lack of options in attack.

Brown threw on Scott Booth in the 58th minute to create a three-man forward line, and that sparked sporadic pressure. The Scots sent everyone bar Sullivan upfield for a stoppage time free-kick and were caught on the break for the second, with Bart Goor despatching the ball past Sullivan.

BELGIUM: De Vlieger; Deflandre, De Boeck, Van Meir, Van Kerckhoven; Verheyen, Vanderhaeghe, Walem, Goor; Wilmots, Sonck.

SCOTLAND: Sullivan; Weir, Elliott, Dailly; Boyd (Booth, 58), Burley, Lambert, Matteo, Naysmith; Hutchison, Dodds.

Referee: M Gonzalez (Spain)