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Uruguay and South Korea battled to the final whistle but neither failed to gain supremacy and in the end settled for a 0-0 draw in their FIFA World Cup 2022 Group F game on Thursday (24 November) at Education City Stadium.
The Koreans had the upper hand in the early stages of the game. They passed the ball around freely and came close to unpicking the Uruguayan defense without actually creating a clear chance.
But that changed as Hawng Ui-jo received a lovely cut-back from the right in the middle of the first half from Kim Moon-hwan but blasted over from an unmarked position.
The star-studded Uruguayan midfield managed a semblance of control as the half wore on but the chances were at a premium.
The best of it for the two-time champions fell to Darwin Nunez, who could not connect with Facundo Pellistri's cross. Another break led to left-back Mathias Olivera trying to find Nunez but overhitting his pass.
Uruguay came closest to scoring in the first half when veteran defender Diego Godin headed a corner perfectly only to see it rattle off the post.
The second half saw quite a few tactical changes made but more of the same in terms of play. The Koreans held their shape well without pressing hard making it hard for the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur and Fede Valverde to find a defense-splitting pass.
They nearly scored through a pile-driver from range from the red-hot Valverde late in the game. His shot bounced off the post to save the Koreans the blushes.
Meanwhile, Son Heung-min, who worked tirelessly throughout the game despite wearing a protective mask, also shot wide from outside the box after a goalkeeping error on the cusp of full time.
The teams settled for a point which seems a fair reflection of this tactically-engrossing encounter. Here are the player ratings from the game.
Uruguay
Sergio Rochet- 5.5/10
Given the No.1 position ahead of the veteran Fernando Muslera, he looked composed when handling the ball but shaky when controlling and distributing it with his feet.
Martin Caceres- 6/10
The experienced right-back was generally alert while defending Son and passed the ball well. He was however, troubled by the Tottenham winger on a few occasions and pinned back. Overall a mixed bag.
Diego Godin-7/10
The Uruguayans rely on experience and that is epitomized by the 34-year-old Diego Godin, who is at the end of an illustrious career. He read the game perfectly on the night and sprayed some great diagonals from the back. Came very close to scoring with his head.
Mathias Olivera-5/10
Did alright defensively but misplaced a potential key pass in the first half.
Jose Maria Gimenez- 6.5/10
Was an able ally for Godin at the back as the two kept the Korean attackers at bay for large stretches. A great sliding tackle to stop Son inside the box was the highlight of his match.
Fede Valverde- 6.5/10
Rated as one of the best midfielders in the world on current form, Valverde wasn't quite at his Real Madrid best today but showed his class with a characteristic long-range shot late. Tried his best to carve open the Korean defense and was one of the best players on the pitch.
Rodrigo Bentancur- 6/10
Was the most industrious midfielder on the field for the Uruguayans. He often went deep to initiate plays and was tidy with his passing.
Matias Vecino- 5.5/10
Starting on the left of a three-man midfield, Vecino would have expected to exert more influence on the game. A 71 per cent pass accuracy won't please him. Was taken off in the 78th minute.
Darwin Nunez- 5.5/10
Nunez showed glimpses of his talent but was in general a disappointment. He missed a great chance in the first half and made the wrong choices in advanced positions.
Luis Suarez- 5/10
One of the most illustrious strikers to emerge from Uruguay, Suarez was almost invisible in this game and cut a frustrating figure until he was taken off.
Facundo Pellistri- 6/10
The young United winger began on the right and showed verve and passion in patches but failed to deliver the telling blow.
Substitutes
Edinson Cavani- 5.5/10
Used to leading the line throughout his career, Cavani came on as a substitute and looked more energetic than Suarez. Alas, the goal never came for which he was inserted into the game.
Nicolas de la Cruz- 6/10
Was proficient with his passing and movement in midfileld without doing anything significant.
Matias Vina- 5.5/10
The left-back was a straight swap for Olivera. Did nothing extraordinary, either in a negative or positive sense.
Guillermo Varela- N/A
Came on too late to be rated.
South Korea
Kim Seung-gyu- 6/10
Had to make just one save and one clearance on a quiet afternoon.
Kim Moon-hwan- 6.5/10
Was a livewire down the right from his fullback position. His inch-perfect low cross was sadly blasted over by Hwan.
Kim Min-jae- 7/10
The Napoli center-back was instrumental in keeping the Uruguayan attackers quiet. A calming presence thorughout the game.
Kim Young-gwon- 6.5/10
Complemented his center-back partner with aplomb. Made three clearances and made a tackle and a block each. Remarkably, did not foul even once.
Kim Jin-su- 6.5/10
Kept Pellsitri quiet for large stretches while also marauding up the right flank often.
Hwang In-beom- 6/10
As a defensive midfielder he was stellar, going in for duels all the time and winning most of them. Could have offered more going forward.
Jung Woo-young- 6/10
Passed it accurately from midfield while keeping his shape admirably off the ball.
Sang Hoo-na- 5.5/10
The right winger was full of energy but did not make enough touches or influence the game in an attacking sense as meaningfully as he would have liked.
Lee Jae-sung- 6.5/10
The attacking midfielder had an 89 per cent pass accuracy and nearly opened up the stubborn Uruguay defense on a couple of occasions.
Son Heung-min- 6.5/10
No one can question the South Korean talisman's work-ethic but this wasn't quite the Son who lights up the Premier League. Was still Korea's best player in an attacking sense.
Hwang Ui-jo- 5/10
Korea's sole striker fluffed his lines when he got a golden opportunity in the first half. Failed to get the better of the veteran Uruguayan defense despite his best efforts.
Substitutes
Lee Kang-in- 6/10
Showed some nice touches after coming on in the 75th minute in an attacking-midfield role.
Cho Gue-song- 5.5/10
Replaced the misfiring Hwang as a forward but did little better.
Son Jun-ho- 6/10
The midfielder managed an 83 per cent pass success but had only 13 touches of the ball in 15 minutes.
