URUGUAY and South Korea played out a disappointing goalless draw at the Education City Stadium as none of the big-name players on show were able to raise the game above mediocre.
Ghana and Portugal, the other two teams in Group H, appeared to be the real winners after a contest which failed to produce a shot on target.
Diego Godin and the best player on the pitch Federico Valverde, from distance late on, were both denied by the woodwork but neither goalkeeper was sufficiently troubled.
Team-mate Luis Suarez is a fading force and his World Cup swansong began inauspiciously as the former Liverpool and Barcelona striker, who turns 36 in January, looked a shadow of his former self.
He played through the middle of a front three, meaning Liverpool’s new Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez was posted out on the left.
It was not an unfamiliar role for the 23-year-old as he has performed it for Benfica and Jurgen Klopp’s side to good effect but it restricted his attacking threat as he was required to do his fair share of tracking back.
Suarez’s lack of pace and mobility left him isolated and it was no surprise to see him replaced by Edinson Cavani just past the hour having barely made an impression.
South Korea’s own big hero Son Heung-min, wearing a protective facemask after surgery to a fractured eye socket sustained playing for Tottenham, also struggled to influence the game.
His one half-chance came in the 90th minute from 20 yards out but he dragged his effort just wide.
South Korea dominated early possession but their opponents were happy, in the main, to sit back and let them have it as the Asian side struggled to create genuine chances and, in fact, conceded the better ones.
Real Madrid’s Valverde fired a snap half-volley just over before Nunez, who up to that point had been more engaged in tracking back down the left, mis-kicked when attempting to connect with Facundo Pellistri’s cross.
Nunez was then denied by goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu, although that was mainly the fault of Mathias Olivera who overhit his pass inside the penalty area when well placed.
In such a tight game, taking such chances looked like being pivotal and Hwang Ui-jo should have scored but failed to even hit the target when he leant back and ballooned over Kim Moon-hwan’s cross.
A post denied Uruguay the opener two minutes before the break when Godin’s downward header from a corner hit the base of the upright with the keeper beaten.
The introduction of Cavani, a month younger than Suarez, in the 64th minute injected some urgency in and around the penalty area and he soon had a shot charged down before teeing up Nunez to bend an effort just wide of Seung-gyu’s left-hand post.
Valverde let fly from 25 yards only to see his effort rebound off a post while Son’s attempt was off target.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here