Uruguay v South Korea LIVE World Cup 2022: Result, final score and reaction as teams play out dreary stalemate
Uruguay 0-0 South Korea: Uruguay hit the woodwork twice through Diego Godin and Federico Valverde but couldn’t find a breakthrough
Uruguay defender Diego Godin and midfielder Federico Valverde both hit the woodwork as the South Americans were held to a 0-0 draw by South Korea in their opening World Cup Group H game.
Wearing a black mask to protect a facial fracture, Son Heung-min started for the South Koreans, yet it was team mate Hwang Ui-jo who came closest to breaking the deadlock, but he scooped his shot over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
The best chance of a pulsating first half fell to Uruguay captain Godin, whose glancing header from a corner hit the foot of the left-hand post just before the break.
Valverde fired a stinging shot in the final minute of regulation time that hit the top of the post as the two sides battled to a stalemate in front of a crowd of 41,663, with group rivals Portugal set to meet Ghana later in the evening.
Relive all the action with our live blog below:
Uruguay 0-0 South Korea
27 mins: Big chance! What is Olivera doing?! Uruguay break forward this time, blue shirts flooding forward. Olivera has a simple pass to Nunez on his left but overhits it out for a goalkick! Nunez was shaping up to shoot and is disgusted with the pass.
Uruguay 0-0 South Korea
26 mins: Ah, just like that! South Korea spring forward as a ball is lobbed forward to Son. He cuts inside Caceres and then outside Valverde, before Olivera clears his shot with his head.
Uruguay 0-0 South Korea
24 mins: After South Korea’s good start it feels like Uruguay have settled and are taking control of this. That may suit South Korea though as their shape looks compact and they will be able to threaten through Son on the break.
Uruguay 0-0 South Korea
21 mins: Chance! There’s that diagonal again! Gimenez picks out Pellistri this time, who brings it down well and cuts into the box. Nunez is free in the middle but can’t get on the end of the cross in front of the posts! South Korea clear.
Uruguay 0-0 South Korea
19 mins: Chance! Gimenez spots the diagonal run of Valverde and picks him out with a lovely ball. Valverde brings it down with a smart touch and then looks to shoot with his left. The volley takes a slight deflection - missed by the referee - and goes over.
Uruguay 0-0 South Korea
17 mins: Kim Jin-su gets on the end of a nice switch of play from South Korea. The left back is able to dig a cross out from the byline, and Rochet has to help it over the crossbar.
Uruguay 0-0 South Korea
14 mins: Uruguay get on the ball and enjoy a sustained spell of possession for the first time. But South Korea’s defensive shape is compact and solid and they win it back as Bentancur tries to roam into the final third.
Uruguay 0-0 South Korea
12 mins; Until now, at least. Son sets off down the left, with a pack of Uruguay defenders immediately closing him down. Caceres leads with a shoulder as Son goes down, but the play goes on.
Uruguay 0-0 South Korea
10 mins: A lot of South Korea’s attacks have come down the right so far, targetting Uruguay’s Olivera. Son, who is on the left, hasn’t seen much of the ball so far.
Uruguay 0-0 South Korea
8 mins: Great tempo to this already. Kim Moon-hwan whips a dangerous ball in that Uruguay clear, setting Nunez galloping down the left.
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