South Korea vs Venezuela Recap: Goalless Draw in Ulsan Leaves Moreno Searching for Answers

South Korea and Venezuela played to a 0-0 draw at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium on Friday, October 2, 2026, in a friendly where the hosts did not take a shot until the 45th minute. It was the third game of Robert Moreno’s four-match debut window as interim coach, following a 3-0 win and a 4-1 loss, and it left plenty of questions. Here is how it went and what was said afterward.

What was the final score and where was the match played?

The match finished South Korea 0-0 Venezuela at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium on Friday, October 2, 2026, with kickoff at 8:00 PM KST (7:00 AM ET). The Hana Bank-invited friendly drew an announced crowd of 35,911, which several Korean outlets described as a sellout. Korea started in a 4-4-2 with Son Heung-min and Oh Hyeon-gyu up front, Lee Kang-in on the right and Song Bum-keun in goal, the same basic shape Moreno used in the previous two games. Venezuela’s formation is listed differently across reports, so we won’t pin it down.

How did the game unfold?

Venezuela created most of the clear chances, while Korea’s best moments were a Son Heung-min redirect early in the second half and a goal ruled out just before halftime. The key moments, with minutes approximate where outlets differ:

Song Bum-keun also saved the follow-up shot after the offside goal. Most reports gave no reason for the ruled-out corner goal. Son’s 51st-minute chance would have been his 59th national-team goal, enough to break his tie with Cha Bum-kun for the Korean record.

What do the numbers show about Korea’s attack?

Venezuela outshot Korea by roughly 12 to 7, and Korea’s first shot did not come until the 45th minute. Other stats differ by a shot or two between sources, so we are leaving them out. Possession was close to even, and Korean match reports described a hesitant build-up that repeatedly broke down against Venezuela’s press. Korea picked up three yellow cards to Venezuela’s one.

Moreno pushed back on one criticism, saying Korea had not simply played a flat 4-4-2. By his account, the team built up with three at the back when attacking and tried to keep four when defending. He also disagreed that Son and Lee Kang-in had been poorly used.

What did Moreno and Venezuela’s coach say afterward?

Moreno defended his approach, saying one poor result calls for adjustments rather than a rebuild from scratch. He described his project as “building a building, one floor at a time,” and said you check the doors and windows rather than demolish the structure after a single game. He added that the squad had managed only six training sessions across the three matches.

Venezuela coach Oswaldo Vizcarrondo said he asked his players to press hard from the start and was pleased with how that went. His disappointment was in front of goal, where he said the team lacked finishing and detail.

What did Kim Min-jae say, and what was reported about his boots?

Kim Min-jae said in a broadcaster interview that the team was not fighting and defending together, and Korean media reported that he threw his boots on the bench after being substituted late in the match. The boot report comes from Korean media accounts of the broadcast footage, not from the player or the Korea Football Association.

In the interview, Kim said the match needed a turnaround and that much has to improve. He said he felt for the defenders, that even a lopsided win would not have felt good given how the team played, and that the fix before the next game was for everyone to put their heads down and work. Moreno said a key player can voice that kind of disappointment after a draw, but called it premature to judge before the match had been analyzed. We are reporting both statements as given and drawing no conclusion about motive.

Where does this leave Moreno and South Korea?

Moreno is 1 win, 1 draw and 1 loss through three games of the window, with one match left. Korea beat Ecuador 3-0 in Suwon on September 24, then lost 4-1 to Uruguay in Seoul on September 28, which we covered in our South Korea vs Uruguay recap . Moreno took over on an interim basis after Hong Myung-bo’s departure following Korea’s group-stage exit at the 2026 World Cup. His contract reportedly runs through late November, with a possible extension to the 2027 Asian Cup tied to results over his first six matches, though outlets have described the terms differently. We have seen no announcement about his future as of October 3.

Venezuela has never qualified for a men’s World Cup and is ranked 47th or 48th depending on the source, about 15 to 16 places below Korea. It arrived in Ulsan after a 2-1 loss at Japan on September 28, covered in our Japan vs Venezuela recap . Korean wire reports put Korea’s all-time record against Venezuela at one win and one draw after this match, the win a 3-1 friendly in 2014.

What’s next for South Korea and Venezuela?

South Korea host Uzbekistan on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at 8:00 PM KST (7:00 AM ET) at Yongin Mireu Stadium, the last game of the four-match window. Venezuela plays Jordan the same day, according to Korean sports reports, to close out its own window. Son Heung-min enters that game on 58 national-team goals, level with Cha Bum-kun and one short of the outright Korean record, as of this writing.

A draw like this settles little for either side. For the other half of Korea’s week, see our recap of Korea’s 4-1 loss to Uruguay .