(LEAD) (World Cup) Masked Son Heung-min to start vs. Uruguay

All News 21:14 November 24, 2022

(ATTN: ADDS details throughout, photo)
By Yoo Jee-ho

AL RAYYAN, Qatar, Nov. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's masked captain Son Heung-min will start the team's first Group H match of the FIFA World Cup against Uruguay on Thursday.

Son will start in his usual left wing position for head coach Paulo Bento at Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, just west of Doha, when the match kicks off at 4 p.m. Thursday local time, or 10 p.m. the same day in Seoul.

South Korean captain Son Heung-min adjusts his mask during a training session for the FIFA World Cup at Al Egla Training Site in Doha on Nov. 23, 2022. (Yonhap)

According to FIFA's official lineup announcement, South Korea will use a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Hwang Ui-jo will be the striker, with Son, Lee Jae-sung and Na Sang-ho backing him up on the attack.

Hwang In-beom and Jung Woo-young will man midfield. The four backs are, from left to right, Kim Jin-su, Kim Young-gwon, Kim Min-jae and Kim Moon-hwan.

Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu will provide the last line of defense against the 14th-ranked Uruguay. This will be Kim's first World Cup start since the final Group H match against Belgium in 2014. Jo Hyeon-woo started all three matches at the 2018 tournament with Kim backing him up, but Kim has since reclaimed the No. 1 job.

Uruguay will counter with Luis Suarez, Darwin Nunez and Facundo Pellistri as three forwards. Federico Valverde, Rodrigo Bentancur and Matias Vecino will roam midfield. The four defenders are Jose Maria Gimenez, Mathias Olivera, Martin Caceres and captain Diego Godin. They will have a 4-1-2-3 setup.

Sergio Rochet will be making his World Cup debut in goal for head coach Diego Alonso.