AL RAYYAN, Qatar: Another favored team have failed to impress in the early stages of the World Cup.
This time they were South Korea holding South American power Uruguay to a 0-0 draw on Thursday, a result that probably favors the Asian team.
The draw at Education City Stadium was yet another early World Cup match with a surprising result. Argentina and Germany both lost their opening games in major upsets. This one hinted at being another.
Uruguay coach Diego Alonso said he was satisfied, and so did South Korea counterpart Paulo Bento. Alonso sounded less convincing.
“I’m more than happy with the result,” Alonso said. “I’m sure that this group stage will be determined by the last match. We all know the second game is key, and so is the third one. But this will not affect whether we qualify of not.”
Uruguay will next face Portugal in Group H while South Korea plays Ghana, with both games on Monday. The top two teams in the group will advance to the round of 16.
South Korea, with forward Son Heung-min wearing a mask to protect a broken left eye socket, always looked the more likely to score against the more experienced Uruguayans. The South Koreans were quicker, pressing from the opening whistle.
Many South Korean fans wore Batman-like masks in solidarity with Son, who was injured on Nov. 2 in a Champions League match playing for English club Tottenham. He had a few early chances but seemed to tire in the second half.
“He (Son) had a serious injury,” Bento said. “He was inactive for a considerable amount of time. He could only get back with the team in the recent days. And of course it’s natural after an injury that it will take time some time to adapt. But I think overall we had a good performance.”
In a match with few clear scoring chances and South Korea often in control, Uruguay had the best opportunities to score: Diego Godin hit the post with a header in the 43rd minute and Federico Valverde hit it in the 89th.
Alonso started an attacking lineup with Luis Suarez, Darwin Nunez and Facundo Pellistri up front, and with Valverde and Matias Vecino in midfield. But they seldom had the ball at the start.
South Korea pressed forward early and Son excited the crowd every time he touched the ball, but he managed only one threatening attack in the first half. South Korea always looked quicker than Uruguay, but not necessarily the more dangerous. The team’s best chance came in the 34th minute when Hwang Ui-jo sailed a close-range attempt over the crossbar.
As the second half wore on, Uruguay began to take more possession but always seemed cautious, taking less initiative despite having the more experienced players.
Son went down in a heap early in the second half with Martin Caceres getting the first yellow card of the match.
Alonso sent in Edinson Cavani for Suarez in 64th minute as the pace of the match slowed until Valverde hit the post in the final minutes.
“In the first 20 minutes, we struggled against Korea,” Alonso said. “We couldn’t take the ball from them. We couldn’t get any pressure and lost precision.
“Obviously, the second half we dominated much more. We were better than them, I think, but we lacked a bit of attacking. I mean attacking more. We tried to be more competitive, too.”
South Korea hold Uruguay to 0-0 draw at World Cup
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South Korea hold Uruguay to 0-0 draw at World Cup
- The draw at Education City Stadium was yet another early World Cup match with a surprising result
- Uruguay coach Diego Alonso said he was satisfied, and so did South Korea counterpart Paulo Bento
Sabalenka returns to Australian Open primed for another title tilt
- “Honestly, there’s no difference,” Sabalenka said of her mindset heading into Melbourne Park no longer in possession of the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup
BENGALURU: World number one Aryna Sabalenka enters the Australian Open in her familiar role as the hot favorite but unlike in the past two years the powerful Belarusian arrives without a title to defend or the momentum of a winning run in Melbourne.
The twice champion’s 20-match winning streak at the season’s opening major was snapped in the title clash 12 months ago when American outsider Madison Keys denied her a successful defense and a rare three-peat last achieved by Martina Hingis in 1999.
Sabalenka shrugged off that disappointment as well as losing in the French Open final and Wimbledon semifinals to secure her fourth Grand Slam crown at the US Open, leaving her primed for another title tilt on the blue hardcourts Down Under.
“Honestly, there’s no difference,” Sabalenka said of her mindset heading into Melbourne Park no longer in possession of the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.
“Every time, it doesn’t matter what tournament it is ... if I’m the defending champion or if I lost in the first round last year, the goal is always the same — to bring my best tennis and improve my game.
“That’s how I take it. I’m always just focusing on myself, on developing my game, and making sure I’m 100 percent there. That’s my goal and focus every time.”
Sabalenka’s serve infamously hampered her in Australia four years ago but her refined delivery has become a crucial weapon, while her variations with drop shots and sharper tactical nous have turned her into a formidable force.
She won a tour-leading four trophies last season and made nine finals, underlining her consistency at the highest level, with a shock loss to Elena Rybakina in last year’s WTA Finals title clash bringing her campaign to an abrupt end.
That setback has only sharpened her resolve and she now returns to Melbourne looking to reach her fourth consecutive Australian Open final.
The 27-year-old will also bid to reach a seventh straight hardcourt Grand Slam final to match Hingis and Steffi Graf in the professional era that began in 1968.
“I’m always super motivated when I come to Australia,” said Sabalenka, who kicked off her season by retaining her title at the Brisbane International without giving up a set.
“I love playing here and I want to stay here as long as possible. Of course remembering last year’s (Australian Open) final, I want to do a little bit better than I did.”
