▲ Hwang Ui-jo of South Korea (R) reacts to a missed scoring opportunity against Uruguay during the countries' Group H match at the FIFA World Cup at Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, west of Doha, on Nov. 24, 2022. (Yonhap)

(World Cup) S Korea-Uruguay-halftime

(World Cup) S. Korea, Uruguay scoreless at halftime

By Yoo Jee-ho

AL RAYYAN, Qatar, Nov. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Uruguay were scoreless in the first half of their first Group H match of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar on Thursday, with the South Americans striking the woodwork in late moments.

South Korea dodged a bullet when Diego Godin's header, set up by a corner in the 43rd minute, hit the bottom of the left post and rolled away from the goal.

It was the closest either team came to score in a tightly-played opening 45 minutes at Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, just west of Doha.

South Korean captain Son Heung-min, still recovering from facial fractures, got the start wearing his now-signature black protective mask.

South Korea had their best look in the 34th minute, with Hwang Ui-jo airmailing a shot on an open chance after Kim Moon-hwan's low cross found him alone near the penalty mark.

The match's first shot attempt came off the foot of Uruguay midfielder Federico Valverde, whose volley sailed over the net following a long pass from Jose Maria Gimenez.

Ball possession numbers were almost dead even, while Uruguay had four shot attempts to South Korea's two.

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