Uruguay 0-0 South Korea: Group H battle gets underway in Qatar

Uruguay was favored by bookmakers to emerge victorious in this one because of their experienced team to Qatar.

The likes of Martin Caceres, Diego Godín and Luis Suárez, whose inclusions in the starting lineup gave them each  appearances at four World Cups.

Edinson Cavani was introduced midway through the second half, he, too, joined the four World Cup club for Uruguay but that was not enough to see them past South Korea.

 Uruguay Vs South Korea was a cagey tactical battle, with South Korea working quickly with short passing sequences up the field and side to side, controlling possession until the second half, when they assumed a more defensive perspective.

Uruguay, meanwhile, was content with  slowing the game down, to defend calmly and calculatively open up space for the chances to cross.

South Koreas’ best chance to score in the first half came in the 34th minute, after a well worked ball met Hwang Ui-jo, all alone directly in front of the goal. But he skied his one-time shot over the crossbar.

Uruguay responded in the 43rd, when Godín rose high to thump a header toward goal, only to agonizingly watch it come off the left post.

World cup debutant Núñez cut inside with the ball in the 81st minute and shot determinedly at goal, his curling shot going wide of the right post.

Eight minutes later, Valverde drilled a shot from the outside the box that crashed into the left post, leaving the entire goal and even Uruguayan supporters shaking.

South Korea will be content with the result especially with star man Son Hueng-Min rarely struggling to impose his presence on the game.

At the expiration of regulation time scores stood at Uruguay 0-0 South Korea in the opening Group H game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.