The biggest sporting event in the world continues with the Group H Uruguay v South Korea clash that opens up Group H in a group that looks very open unlike most.
With so many games and so little time, our Group H Uruguay v South Korea Match Centre tries to sum it all up as quickly as possible before and after the game and with just a hint of cynicism. If you wanted professional and/or good you’d be on the BBC website, not here. Essentially, we watch and follow the game so you don’t have to.
With answers to the key questions prior to the match and our Minutes that Mattered summary and stats post game, it is a real Who Cares guide to the 2022 World Cup for the person on the go.
Enjoy the Group H Uruguay v South Korea Match Centre.
KICKOFF – THURSDAY 24TH NOV – 16:00 (QATAR) 13:00 (UK) 12:00 (AEDT)
Group H Uruguay v South Korea Match Review
Uruguay and South Korea have opened up their 2022 World Cup campaign with a 0-0 draw where neither side was dominant, nor particularly efficient in front of goal.
Minutes that Mattered
Welcome to the briefest of match summaries, like a minute by minute you find on professional websites except one that has only the minutes that matter. All wheat, no chaff.
And if the below isn’t enough, for those in Australia you can catch up via the SBS World Cup on Demand.
0′ Min Big news for this match was the inclusion of Son Heung-min who was originally thought to be out for a long time.
1′ Min A lot of early corners in this World Cup, and Korea help themselves within the first minute. Despite including the good ol’ dummy run from the corner flag, Korea don’t trouble the scorers just yet.
10′ Min Son Heung-min goes to the sideline to put a new mask on, but sadly he is still easily recognisable. If indeed he was intending to disappear.
18′ Min Great chance for Uruguay with Federico Valverde charging into the penalty box, and getting a kick away all in one movement. Problem was it went over the crossbar.
26′ Min A little piece of magic from Son Heung-min who went on a little run, jinking and avoiding a few wild chops at his legs and shooting. He was on target but it was cleared away by a Uruguayan defender. Uruguay went down the other end and had a great chance themselves but Facundo Pellistri couldn’t quite get to the ball before the Korean keeper cleared it.
34′ Min How is this game still 0-0? Korea blow a golden opportunity to take the lead when an unmarked Hwang Ui-jo standing on the six yard line puts his shot over the bar.
43′ Min Uruguay’s Diego Godín hits the post as he tries to score. No way the keeper was stopping that if it were an inch or two less wide.
45′ Min Can you believe it? Just one minute of added time for the first half.
HALF TIME – URUGUAY 0 SOUTH KOREA 0
52′ Min Korea go close with the first decent chance of the second half, but the Uruguayan keeper is up to the task and punches the ball away. This game is heading towards a goal in the 97th minute or something like that.
55′ Min Son Heung-min hits the deck in pain, and he seems to have multiple Owies. And lost a shoe. The Uruguayan defenders is booked, and the trainer brings Son his shoe back. Son Heung-min does continue for the record.
63′ Min Uruguay break down the left and Darwin Nunez gets close to the near post but is shut down by the Korean keeper. Suarez is replaced by Edison Cavani too.
75′ Min 15 Minutes (plus an hour added time) to go and the story and cadence of this game hasn’t really changed, but there’s still plenty of time for a surprise from either or both sides.
81′ Min Uruguay go close again. Darwin Nunez takes a shot at goal and it goes wide, but a lurking Edison Cavani nearly taps it on with his head.
88′ Min Korea make a break for it down the right but it is halted when two Korean players fall over. There’s a hint of suspicion that they had help for that, but the referee wanted to know nothing about it.
89′ Min Not to be outdone Uruguay go soooooooo close. Federico Valverde’s thunderous shot smashes into the posts and goes out.
90′ Min Now Son Heung-min is the latest to go close. A poor goalkeeper clearance gifts Korea the ball, and Son takes a shot and drags it just wide to the right.Seven minutes of extra time to come. Remember one of our earlier guess the winner would come in the 97th minute. We stand by that.
90′ +5 Min Uruguay have a corner…..two minutes of added time to go. The cross is taken by the keeper and the score stays 0-0.
90′ +7 Min The Uruguayan manager got a yellow card just fore the end of the match. Just a side interest for a game that was interesting, but the lack of goals was a little disappointing.
Final Score
URUGUAY 0
KOREA REPUBLIC 0
HT 0-0
Player of the Match
Son Heung-min or Federico Valverde’
Points of Interest
- Korea’s playing shirt was causing havoc with the eyes, being a very bright red or pink. Thankfully our TV wasn’t an ultra HD type viewing box.
- The jury is still out on megabucks Liverpool signing Darwin Nunez. But we want him to succeed for Liverpool and Uruguay.
- No wonder we though the game was a little dull – there was just the one shot on target all match. The lowest for all the World Cup games so far. Next worst was Ecuador v Qatar (3).
Group H Uruguay v South Korea Match Stats
Group H Uruguay v South Korea Starting Teams
URUGUAY (4-3-3)
23 Rochet
22 Cáceres
3 Godín
2 Giménez
16 Olivera
15 Valverde
5 Vecino
6 Bentancur
8 Pellistri
9 Suárez
11 Núñez
TEAM (4-2-3-1)
1 Kim Seung-gyu
15 Kim
4 Kim Min-jae
19 Kim Young-Gwon
3 Kim Jin-su
6 Hwang
5 Jung Woo-Young
17 Na
10 Lee Jae-Sung
7 Son Heung-Min
16 Hwang
Group H Uruguay v South Korea Match Preview
Why should you care?
This is should be a quality match between what looks like the two teams battling for second. Or perhaps given the firepower that Uruguay possess going into this World Cup, they could beat Portugal to the top of Group H.
Who should you care about?
Son Heung-Min is a big name for South Korea in general heading into a World Cup, but he is coming into the 2022 edition under an injury cloud. Reports say the Spurs star will be OK to play.
Uruguay has some real firepower themselves. How about this for a forward three – Luis Suarez, Edison Cavani and new Liverpool recruit Darwin Nunez.
Full 2022 World Cup Squads & Stats
Is there a barely interesting fact?
Uruguay have won all four games v Asian nations at the World Cup, including beating South Korea twice. Three of those wins were by 1-0.
South Korea have a decent record in international games v South American nations since the last World Cup. They have played 7 times for four wins, one draw and two losses. Those two losses came against Brazil, and one of those wins was against Uruguay.
Who will win?
Uruguay 1 South Korea 0
Full 2022 World Cup Predictions
