South Korea vs Uruguay Recap: Núñez, Arrascaeta Power Uruguay to 4-1 Seoul Friendly Win
- 🔑 Uruguay defeated South Korea 4-1 in an international friendly at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Monday, September 28, 2026, taking a 3-0 lead by halftime on goals from Darwin Núñez, Giorgian de Arrascaeta, and a Kim Min-jae own goal, then adding a fourth through Núñez early in the second half.
- Son Heung-min scored South Korea’s only goal in the 80th minute, assisted by Lee Kang-in. It was the 300th goal of Son’s career and his 58th for the national team, tying Cha Bum-kun’s all-time South Korea international scoring record.
- Uruguay played without Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde, who was sidelined by a grade-3 left ankle sprain suffered in a September 20 Spanish league match between Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid — not in any earlier Uruguay-South Korea meeting, despite some confusion in early reports.
- The result was interim South Korea coach Robert Moreno’s first loss in charge, coming days after a 3-0 win over Ecuador; interim Uruguay coach Diego Forlán earned his first win in just his second match, after an earlier loss to Japan.
- Uruguay now leads the all-time series 8 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss across 11 meetings with South Korea, a rivalry that has included three World Cup meetings, in 1990, 2010, and 2022. No betting odds, spreads, or win-probability models appear anywhere in this recap.
Uruguay beat South Korea 4-1 in an international friendly at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Monday, September 28, 2026, with two goals from Darwin Núñez and a long-range strike from Giorgian de Arrascaeta putting the match away before halftime. Son Heung-min pulled one back for the hosts late in the second half with a goal that tied South Korea’s all-time international scoring record. Here’s what happened, and what it means for both sides heading into October.
What was the final score, and how did the match unfold?
Uruguay won 4-1, building a 3-0 halftime lead and adding a fourth goal early in the second half before South Korea’s lone reply. Uruguay pressed high from the opening whistle and controlled the first 45 minutes almost completely, while South Korea struggled to build attacks from the back. The visitors added a fourth goal shortly after the restart before easing off, allowing Son Heung-min to score a consolation goal in the 80th minute.
| Min | Scorer | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 13' | Darwin Núñez | Uruguay |
| 27' | Giorgian de Arrascaeta | Uruguay |
| 44' | Kim Min-jae (own goal) | Uruguay |
| 62' | Darwin Núñez | Uruguay |
| 80' | Son Heung-min | South Korea |
Who scored Uruguay’s four goals?
Darwin Núñez scored twice, once in the 13th minute and again in the 62nd, while Giorgian de Arrascaeta added a long-range strike and South Korea defender Kim Min-jae turned a cross into his own net. Arrascaeta’s goal came from roughly 27 meters out and put Uruguay 2-0 up in the 27th minute. Kim Min-jae’s own goal, just before halftime, made it 3-0 and effectively decided the match before the break.
Why was Son Heung-min’s goal significant?
Son Heung-min’s 80th-minute goal was the 300th of his career and his 58th for the South Korea national team, tying Cha Bum-kun’s all-time national scoring record. The goal came off a cross from Lee Kang-in, and its authorship was briefly unclear on the field — it wasn’t immediately obvious whether Lee’s ball went in untouched or was redirected by Son. The Korea Football Association credited it to Son after review with match officials, confirming the record-tying moment.
Why didn’t Uruguay have Federico Valverde available?
Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde missed the trip to Seoul because of a grade-3 left ankle sprain suffered more than a week earlier, in a September 20 Spanish league match between Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid — not in any prior meeting between Uruguay and South Korea. The tackle that caused the injury came from Atlético Madrid’s Lee Kang-in, who then lined up for South Korea in this friendly. The two incidents are unrelated aside from that coincidence of personnel.
What did this result mean for each team’s interim coach?
The loss was Robert Moreno’s first defeat since taking over South Korea on an interim basis, coming just four days after a 3-0 win over Ecuador in Suwon; for Uruguay’s interim coach Diego Forlán, it was a much-needed win in only his second match in charge. Moreno, a Spanish coach appointed after Hong Myung-bo’s departure, is currently contracted through a run of matches into November. Forlán, appointed after Marcelo Bielsa’s exit, had lost his managerial debut to Japan in Miyagi days earlier before turning things around against South Korea.
How does this fit into the countries’ head-to-head history?
Uruguay has now won 8 of 11 all-time meetings with South Korea, with one draw and South Korea’s only victory coming in a 2018 friendly in Seoul. The rivalry includes three World Cup meetings: a 1990 group-stage game won by Uruguay, a 2010 Round of 16 match Uruguay also won, and a scoreless draw between the two sides at the 2022 tournament in Qatar. This result extends Uruguay’s edge in the series.
What’s next for both teams?
South Korea is scheduled to face Venezuela on October 2 and Uzbekistan on October 6, both still under Moreno. Both matches give Moreno a chance to address the defensive issues exposed against Uruguay before South Korea’s Asian Cup preparations continue later in the year. Uruguay’s next assignments were not finalized as of this writing.
Monday’s friendly was a rough outing for South Korea at home, but Son Heung-min’s record-tying goal gave the crowd at Seoul World Cup Stadium something to remember on an otherwise difficult night.