Robert Moreno’s interim Korea men’s national football team will play Uruguay in a friendly on September 28.
The match follows Korea’s victory over Ecuador, but the opponent is a South American powerhouse against whom Korea has struggled in its all-time record.
This match will be a stage for gauging whether Korea’s teamwork under its new coach can continue against a stronger opponent.
3-Line Summary
1. Korea will play Uruguay in a friendly on the 28th
2. Korea’s all-time record is 1 win, 2 draws, and 7 losses
3. This is Coach Moreno’s second match
Uruguay Match to Be Held at Seoul World Cup Stadium
Korea will play Uruguay in an A-match friendly at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on September 28. According to a report by Sports Donga, this is the second match of the 4-match A-match series running from September through October, as well as Coach Robert Moreno’s second match in charge.
Korea won against Ecuador in Coach Moreno’s debut as head coach. The Uruguay match is significant not simply because of that result, but because it will provide an opportunity to see whether the team football emphasized by the new coach continues against a different opponent. At the official press conference on the 27th, as reported by Yonhap News Agency, Lee Kang-in said that after watching the Ecuador match from the stands, he felt that all the players had played for the team and emphasized teamwork.
Lee Kang-in was left off the Ecuador match squad due to a coaching-staff decision, but said that he felt good physically after resting. He also said that he would do even better at what he does well for the national team and help the team. Sports Donga reported that Lee Kang-in is expected to start alongside Son Heung-min as a two-man front line against Uruguay, but this is only the outlet’s projection and has not been confirmed as the official lineup.
1 Win, 2 Draws, and 7 Losses: The Weight of the Opponent Shown by the Numbers
Korea has recorded 1 win, 2 draws, and 7 losses in its all-time meetings with Uruguay. The most recently mentioned World Cup meeting was in the group stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar, when the match ended in a 0-0 draw. Although the difference in strength cannot be determined from the result of a single match, this record clearly shows that the friendly will be a test against a formidable opponent for Korea.
Uruguay will also face Korea amid changes. Sports Donga reported that Uruguay shifted to an interim-manager system under Diego Forlán after a poor showing at the 2026 North-Central America World Cup, and lost 1-3 to Japan in a friendly. Therefore, the friendly in Seoul can be viewed not only as Korea’s attempt to extend its winning streak, but also as a match in which Uruguay assesses its strength under a new system.
The key question is whether the teamwork emphasized by Coach Moreno in his first match and the “one team” image mentioned by Lee Kang-in can also be seen against Uruguay. For Korea, this is an opportunity to continue the momentum under its new coach; for Uruguay, it is an opportunity to show a response after its loss to Japan. Regardless of whether the result narrows the gap in the all-time record, this match will be Korea’s second test in showing how it faces a stronger opponent.
Can the Teamwork Mentioned by Lee Kang-in Continue?
Lee Kang-in said that from the first day of the call-up training, Coach Moreno passionately explained his preferred football and style of play. He also said that he was more comfortable than the other players because he could communicate with the coach in Spanish. In this friendly, the point to watch will be not only the individual ability of the players, but also how naturally the coach’s demands connect within the match.
It is too early to say that the Moreno system has taken root based solely on the good result against Ecuador. However, before Korea faces Venezuela on October 2 and Uzbekistan on October 6, the Uruguay match is an opportunity to establish the new team’s standards against a South American powerhouse. Rather than predicting the result, the numbers to watch in this match are Korea’s 1 win, 2 draws, and 7 losses against the opponent, and the starting point represented by Coach Moreno’s second match.
References
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