Uruguay vs South Korea: 2022 World Cup, Group Stage Match Preview and Dream11 Predictions

Uruguay vs South Korea is next two-time World Cup winners Uruguay take on 2002 semi-finalists South Korea in the opening match of Group H this Thursday.

Match Details:

• Location: Al Rayyan, Qatar
• Stadium: Education City Stadium
• Date: Thursday 24 November
• Kick-off Time: 6:30 PM
• Watch: Sports 18/HD, Jio Cinema App

Uruguay vs South Korea: Match Preview:

The first match of the pool pits Uruguay against South Korea in what is widely expected to be an action-packed encounter. 

더 뜨겁게, the Reds🔥
2022 카타르 월드컵 참가하는
🇰🇷축구국가대표팀의 배번명단을 공개합니다!

✔2022 카타르 월드컵 본선 조별리그
🇰🇷v🇺🇾#우루과이 11.24(목) 22:00
🇰🇷v🇬🇭#가나 11.28(월) 22:00
🇰🇷v🇵🇹#포르투갈 12.03(토) 00:00
⏰한국시간 기준#카타르월드컵 #FIFAWorldCup #더뜨겁게theReds pic.twitter.com/IF50xhVbUZ

— theKFA (@theKFA) November 15, 2022

Two-time World Cup winners Uruguay will come into it as slight favourites, given their form throughout 2022 so far, where they've lost just one of their nine international outings in the calendar year.

🇺🇾 𝐔𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐲 𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐮́𝐭𝐛𝐨𝐥

Terminó la espera.#ElEquipoQueNosUne pic.twitter.com/5R2kzhD8qd

— Selección Uruguaya (@Uruguay) November 23, 2022

But South Korea won't be pushovers on their 11th World Cup appearance — the most by any Asian nation throughout competition history — even if they did exit at the group stage in nine of those campaigns. 

Team News:

Uruguay:

Uruguay's only injury concern is Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo, who has been out since late September. Araujo has still been included in Diego Alonso's squad for the World Cup, but is unlikely to return in time to feature in the competition unless La Celeste progress to at least the semi-finals.

Wolves' forward Hee-Chan Hwang has not recovered in time for the opener with Uruguay, while Paulo Bento confirms defender Kim Jin-su faces a late fitness test.https://t.co/Ct678MLY20#KOR #FIFAWorldCup #URU

— Ben Dinnery (@BenDinnery) November 23, 2022

South Korea:

South Korea manager Paulo Bento faces an anxious wait to see if captain and star player Son Heung-min is available for his side's opening bout.

South Korea's Son Heung-min will be able to play with a mask in their #FIFAWorldCup Group H opener against Uruguay, coach Paulo Bento said as the forward returns from a surgical procedure to stabilize a fracture around his left eye https://t.co/LkzxfVUloz pic.twitter.com/z0OitsMEbp

— Reuters Sports (@ReutersSports) November 23, 2022

The Tottenham Hotspur winger suffered a facial fracture during his club's Champions League clash with Marseille and will have to wear a protective mask throughout the competition.

Another possible absentee is left-back Kim Jin-su, who is still recovering from a hamstring injury suffered at the beginning of November.

Uruguay vs South Korea: Head to Head:

The two teams have locked horns eight times across all competitions, with six of these meetings being friendlies. Uruguay have dominated proceedings against the Asian team with six wins to their name. Korea have picked up just one win while one game ended in a draw.

They have met twice in the FIFA World Cup as well. Uruguay have a 100% record in these meetings, recording a 1-0 win in 1990 and defeating Korea 2-1 in the 2010 World Cup.

El DT de @Uruguay habló en la previa del debut de La Celeste en esta #CopaMundialFIFA.

— Copa Mundial FIFA 🏆 (@fifaworldcup_es) November 23, 2022

Exactly half of the meetings between the two teams have produced over 2.5 goals.

Uruguay have scored at least a goal in each of their eight games against Korea, while Korea have failed to score in four games in that period.

Both teams have suffered just one defeat in their last nine games across all competitions.

Predicted Line-ups:

Uruguay starting 11 (4-3-3): Rochet; Varela, Godin, Gimenez, Olivera; Bentancur, Valverde, Vecino; Pellistri, Suarez, Nunez.
Bench: Muslera, Sosa, Vina, Coates, Caceres, Rodriguez, de la Cruz, de Arrascaeta, Torreira, Ugarte, Gomez, Torres, Cavani, Canobbio.

#손준호 💬"걱정하지 않아도 된다."

✔2022 FIFA 카타르 월드컵 조별리그 1차전
🇰🇷v🇺🇾#우루과이 11.24(목) 22:00
🏟에듀케이션 시티 스타디움 ⏰한국시간 기준#카타르월드컵 #FIFAWorldCup 더 뜨겁게, the Reds🔥 pic.twitter.com/MkJc15Xfk9

— theKFA (@theKFA) November 23, 2022

South Korea starting 11 (4-3-3): Kim Seung-gyu; Yoon Jong-gyu, Kim Min-jae, Kim Young-gwon, Kim Jin-su; Jung Woo-young, Hwang In-beom, Kwon Chang-hoon; Hwang Hee-chan, Hwang Ui-jo, Son Heung-min.
Bench: Song Bum-Keun, Jo Hyeon-woo, Hong Chul, Kim Moon-Hwan, Kwon Kyung-won, Kim Tae-hwan, Cho Yu-min, Paik Seung-ho, Lee Jae-sung, Son Jun-ho, Na Sang-ho, Lee Kang-in, Jeong Woo-yeong, Song Min-kyu, Cho Gue-sung.

URU vs KOR: Dream11 Predictions:

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