SEOUL – South Korea held Chile to a scoreless draw in a men’s football friendly match at home on Tuesday, staying undefeated in two matches under new head coach Paulo Bento.
The teams traded few dangerous scoring chances in a tight match at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, some 45 kilometers south of Seoul. South Korea were coming off a 2-0 win over Costa Rica last Friday, but Chile, ranked 12th in the world, presented a whole new challenge for 57th-ranked South Korea.
Led by FC Barcelona stalwart Arturo Vidal, Chile dictated the pace in midfield, quickly closing in on South Korean ball carriers before they could mount attacks.
A quick transition and a rock solid back line also allowed Chile to foil the few attempts that South Korea had inside the box.
Meanwhile, playing under coach Hajime Moriyasu for the first time, Japan got back on the field Tuesday and beat Costa Rica 3-0 in a friendly.
The Japanese team, which reached the second round at the World Cup, canceled its previous friendly against Chile because of an earthquake in Hokkaido.
Both Japan and South Korea are preparing for the Asian Cup in January.
