Korea play Venezuela to goalless draw in 3rd match under Moreno
Summary
Korea and Venezuela played to a goalless draw Friday in Robert Moreno’s third match in charge. Korea struggled to create chances at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, though Lee Dong-gyeong had a late stoppage-time attempt. The result left Moreno with one win, one draw and one loss in his first three games.
Key Facts
- Korea managed its first shot attempt late in the first half at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan.
- Venezuela were ranked 47th in the latest official FIFA rankings, 15 places below Korea.
- Jesus Ramirez forced a save from Song Bum-keun, and his goal was later disallowed for offside after a Korean turnover.
- Gleiker Mendoza hit the woodwork in the 72nd minute after his shot ricocheted off Lee Han-beom.
- Korea will host Uzbekistan on Tuesday at Yongin Mireu Stadium to finish its Sept.-Oct. match window.
Son Heung-min of Korea, left, battles Wikelman Carmona of Venezuela for the ball during the teams' football friendly match at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, Friday. Yonhap
Korea played Venezuela to a goalless draw Friday in their third match under their interim boss Robert Moreno.
Korea managed their first shot attempt in the late moments of the first half at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Despite some promising moments in the second half, including a last-gasp shot by winger Lee Dong-gyeong during stoppage time, Korea did not find the back of the net.
Moreno began his Korea tenure with a 3-0 victory over Ecuador on Sept. 24, but the Taegeuk Warriors endured a 4-1 loss to Uruguay four days later.
Korea will wrap up their Sept.-Oct. match window by hosting Uzbekistan on Tuesday at Yongin Mireu Stadium in Yongin, about 40 kilometers south of the capital.
Moreno and his staff are signed through the end of November, with two more matches coming up next month. The Korea Football Association said Moreno will be given a chance to stay on to lead Korea at the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup in January next year in Saudi Arabia.
That decision will depend on Korea's performance in Moreno's first six matches in charge and the Spanish tactician has offered a mixed bag so far.
In the last official FIFA rankings, Venezuela sat in 47th place, 15 spots below Korea. But it was Venezuela that established early control with some dangerous looks, while Korea's attack stalled, with their players unable to connect on simple passes.
Venezuela kept generating chances, with Jesus Ramirez forcing a tough save by goalkeeper Song Bum-keun and then getting a goal wiped out on an offside after pouncing on a Korean turnover.
In the 72nd minute, a shot Gleiker Mendoza ricocheted off defender Lee Han-beom and struck the woodwork.
In the dying seconds, Lee Dong-gyeong tested Venezuelan keeper Jose Contreras with a left-footed shot that seemed destined for the bottom right corner of the goal. Contreras lunged to his left to get a piece of the ball and kept the score deadlocked at 0-0.
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