South Korea Held to Goalless Draw by Venezuela in Ulsan as Moreno's Side Struggles to Create Clear Chances

ULSAN, South Korea — South Korea and Venezuela played to a 0-0 draw in an international friendly Friday, a tightly contested and tactical match in which the visitors produced more scoring chances but neither side could find the net.

The match at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium was the third of four games in South Korea's September-October Hana Bank Invitational friendly series. South Korea is led by interim head coach Roberto Moreno of Spain.

Venezuela outshot the hosts 12-6 and put four shots on target to South Korea's two, according to match statistics, making the draw a positive result for the South American team on its trip to Asia.

A sluggish first half

Venezuela took the initiative early. The visitors recorded the first attempt of the match after winning a free kick just outside the penalty area in the 11th minute.

As the first half went on, Venezuela gained control of the tempo. The visitors pushed their defensive line higher and applied pressure, and South Korea struggled to complete passes and build attacks, according to local media reports from the stadium.

Venezuela threatened again in the 23rd minute, but South Korea's defense held firm.

The hosts did not register their first shot until late in the half. Lee Kang-in was booked for persistent fouling in the 37th minute, and midfielder Hwang In-beom was cautioned for a foul in the 42nd as frustration grew.

The teams went into halftime level at 0-0.

Little change after the break

Venezuela made an early change at halftime, bringing on Delvin Alfonzo for Wikelman Carmona.

South Korea held more of the ball in stretches of the second half but lacked the sharpness to break down Venezuela's compact defensive shape. Possession was split evenly at 50% each over the full match.

Tempers flared briefly in the 64th minute, when South Korea's Cho Hyun-taek and Venezuela's Kevin Kelsy were both booked after an argument.

Moreno turned to his bench in an effort to spark the attack. Oh Hyeon-gyu and Kim Tae-hyeon came on in the 67th minute, and the coach made a series of changes in the final 15 minutes. Captain Son Heung-min was replaced by Oh Se-hun in the 85th minute, and defender Kim Min-jae came off in the 80th.

Venezuela also refreshed its lineup, bringing on Yangel Herrera's replacement Daniel Pereira and later Jovanny Bolívar and Yerwin Sulbarán, but neither team could produce a breakthrough.

By the numbers

Venezuela had the better of the attacking play. The visitors attempted 12 shots to South Korea's six and forced four saves from the South Korean goalkeeper, while South Korea forced two.

The match was physical. South Korea committed 24 fouls to Venezuela's 12 and received three yellow cards to Venezuela's one. Venezuela was caught offside six times, while South Korea was flagged three times.

Both teams completed a similar number of passes, with South Korea making 458 to Venezuela's 461.

Moreno's search for consistency

The draw adds to questions about South Korea's attacking play under Moreno, who has been tasked with guiding the team on an interim basis. The friendly series is intended to give the coaching staff a chance to test players and tactics.

South Korea has had an inconsistent year, winning four of its nine matches across all competitions in 2026 before Friday's game.

Despite fielding several of its biggest names, including Son, Lee Kang-in, Hwang In-beom and Kim Min-jae, the team struggled to create clear openings against a disciplined opponent. Both teams lined up in a 4-4-2 formation.

A solid outing for Venezuela

For Venezuela, the result marked a positive step during its Asian tour. La Vinotinto, which has also had mixed results this year, frustrated the hosts with a well-organized defense and created the more dangerous chances.

The draw away from home against a team ranked among Asia's strongest will give Venezuela's coaching staff encouragement as they continue to build the squad.

South Korea will play its fourth and final match of the Hana Bank Invitational friendly series later in the international window, giving Moreno another opportunity to evaluate his squad and find solutions in attack.

Venezuela will continue its international schedule as it looks to build on Friday's result.