Coates, Vecino power Uruguay to 2-1 win over S. Korea

Sebastian Coates and Matias Vecino scored a goal apiece as Uruguay defeated South Korea 2-1 on Tuesday in Seoul to deny new coach Jurgen Klinsmann his first win.

Hwang In-beom netted the lone South Korean goal in the friendly, a World Cup rematch, at Seoul World Cup Stadium.

Uruguay and South Korea played a goalless draw in Qatar in November and, with caretaker manager Marcelo Broli at the helm, the visitors came out on top this time thanks to goals by the two oldest players in an otherwise youthful starting line-up.

Coates, 32, put the South Americans on the board in the 10th minute, walking behind the unsuspecting defence to leap and power home a header from Federico Valverde's corner past goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo.

The home side found little space to manoeuvre early on as Uruguay pushed their way into the attacking zone.

South Korea found some life later in the first half, with Son Heung-min firing a free kick high and wide of the goal in the 37th minute. Lee Ki-je rolled a shot just wide of the right post a minute later.

Hwang netted the equaliser six minutes after the restart when Lee Kang-in's cross deflected off a Uruguay defender and landed at the feet of Lee Ki-je.

Uruguay reclaimed their lead in the 63rd minute when Vecino, 31, slotted home the rebound after Jo made a diving stop from Joaquin Piquerez's free kick.

South Korea thought they had drawn level once again in the 84th minute with a thunderous strike by Oh Hyeon-gyu from just inside the box, only to have it disallowed on an offside call from the video review.

South Korea squandered a two-goal lead in the first match in Ulsan on Friday and had to settle for 2-2.