Valverde, Who Hit the Goalpost, Says "Korea Did Very Well"

Strong Long-Range Shot in the 45th Minute of the Second Half "He Kicked the Ball Well, But..."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

A world-class midfielder was impressed by the organizational strength of the South Korean national football team. This is Federico Valverde (Real Madrid), a key player in Uruguay's lineup. After drawing with South Korea, he reflected, "It was a fierce match. South Korea played very well."

On the 24th, Uruguay drew 0-0 with South Korea in the first match of Group H in the 2022 FIFA Qatar World Cup group stage, held at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar. They failed to gain the upper hand in the midfield battle and experienced bad luck when their shots occasionally hit the goalpost during opportunities.

After the match, Valverde said, "We had difficulty taking the ball away in the first half. South Korea had a strong tendency to keep possession and control the game." He added, "No matter how much the defense pressed, they tried to find gaps. We took the initiative towards the end, but it ultimately ended in a draw."

In the 45th minute of the second half, Valverde struck a powerful long-range shot that hit the goalpost. Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu said, "I thought to myself, 'That was close,'" describing the nerve-wracking moment. Valverde expressed regret, saying, "I struck the ball well, but the angle was a bit off, so I was disappointed."