Guadalupe: South Korea and South Africa remained scoreless at halftime during their pivotal Group A match at the FIFA World Cup, held at Estadio Monterrey in northeastern Mexico on Wednesday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea initially dominated the play before South Africa gained momentum. However, neither team managed to score in the first 45 minutes. South Korea's captain, Son Heung-min, was absent from the starting lineup, with Oh Hyeon-gyu stepping in as striker. Lee Kang-in and Hwang Hee-chan took on roles in the attacking midfield, with Hwang replacing Lee Jae-sung from the previous matches.

Center back Kim Min-jae, wearing the captain's armband, almost scored for South Korea early in the match. A promising cross from Lee was met with a strong header by Kim, but South African defender Aubrey Modiba blocked it on the goal line. Another opportunity arose for Lee at eight minutes, but his left-footed shot narrowly missed the target.

South Korea's defense was tested when Lee Gi-hyuk blocked a shot by Thapelo Maseko on a swift counterattack in the 19th minute, preventing a potential South African goal. South Africa began to gain control from this point, with South Korea becoming less precise with their passes.

A South Korean turnover almost resulted in a South African goal around the 30-minute mark. However, goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu saved his team by leaping to block a left-footed shot from Thalente Mbatha. The rebound landed at the feet of Evidence Makgopa, but Kim managed to stop the follow-up attempt as well.

Later, Maseko had another opportunity for South Africa, exploiting a disorganized South Korean defense in the 39th minute. However, his left-footed shot from outside the penalty area went over the crossbar.

South Korea entered the match in second place in Group A, coming off a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic and a 1-0 defeat to Mexico. Meanwhile, South Africa was in fourth place following a 2-0 loss to Mexico and a 1-1 draw with Czechia.

With Mexico already securing the top position, South Korea will move on to the round of 32 with a win or a draw. They could also advance as one of the eight best third-place teams even if they lose, provided Czechia does not defeat Mexico. South Africa must secure a win or a draw and hope for favorable outcomes from the Mexico-Czechia match in Mexico City to keep their tournament hopes alive.