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:
Switzerland should emulate Arsenal to unlock Granit Xhaka after laboured Cameroon win
“In some ways, Switzerland’s World Cup got off to the perfect start with a 1-0 win over Cameroon. Going into their second game against Brazil, the Swiss have three points on the board and don’t require a shock victory over the pre-tournament favourites to keep their knockout hopes on course.
“Yet it was a laboured win, with Cameroon the better side in the first half and unlucky not to be ahead by the break, before their European opponents scored through Cameroon-born Breel Embolo early in the second period and subsequently suffocated the life out of the game.
“No-one could legitimately argue the Swiss attack was firing on all cylinders but the answer to unlock their potential is already in their ranks and goes by the name of Granit Xhaka. The captain won his 107th cap, and has been a key cog since making his debut in 2011, as proven by playing every minute of their recent Nations League campaign, but it’s time to change his role in the side to turn them into legitimate contenders.”
FULL TIME! Switzerland 1-0 Cameroon
But it counts for nothing! Switzerland do just enough to beat Cameroon and open Group G with a tight victory. Breel Embolo is the match-winner, scoring against the country of his birth shortly after half-time and choosing not to celebrate out of respect. After a lively first half, Switzerland were able to see out the win with little fuss. They will be full of confidence ahead of their second match of the group against Brazil, who face Serbia later on.
Switzerland 1-0 Cameroon
90+5 mins: Block! Cameroon hang on, just! Seferovic looked to be through on goal after a Cameroon slip. He cut inside and had the goal gaping, but Castelletto threw himself at the shot.
Switzerland 1-0 Cameroon
90+4 mins: A late flurry from Cameroon comes to nothing, as Sommer can easily gather a cross from deep as Moumi Ngamaleu threw himself at the ball.
Switzerland 1-0 Cameroon
90+2 mins: N’Koulou races back to sweep up a Switzerland attack, but then slips on the byline to concede a cheap corner. Switzerland will not be rushing to take this.
Switzerland 1-0 Cameroon
90 mins: Just the six minutes of added time.
Can Cameroon find a late equaliser? They have not offered much at all in this second half.
Switzerland 1-0 Cameroon
88 mins: Save! Well the pace of this match has completely died, but Xhaka goes close from distance as he catches a shot sweetly. It skims off the surface but Onana handles it well.
Switzerland 1-0 Cameroon
82 mins: CHANCE! Swizerland expose the space behind the Cameroon defence as Rodriguez plays in Rieder down the left. The cross towards the front post is dangerous and Seferovic is not far away, but Nicolas Nkoulou scrambles clear.
Switzerland then ask for a penalty after the ball hits Aboubakar’s hand - but it was clearly accidental.
Switzerland 1-0 Cameroon
80 mins: Cameroon right back Fai swings a cross over from the wing - it misses everyone but gives Yann Sommer a brief scare. We’ve all seen crosses like that drift into the far corner, and this wasn’t too far away.
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