By Mark Gleeson
ATLANTA, June 17 (Reuters) - South Africa midfielder Themba Zwane has had his suspension after being sent off in the World Cup opener against Mexico last Thursday extended to a three-match ban, FIFA said on Wednesday.
Zwane was dismissed for striking defender Roberto Alvarado's face late in the game, which Mexico won 2-0 at the Azteca Stadium. South Africa finished the match down to nine men after midfielder Sphephelo Sithole had been dismissed earlier.
The 36-year-old Zwane, who had
come on as a substitute just over 20 minutes before, looked bemused after being red-carded by Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio, having tried to get past Alvarado on the edge of the Mexico box. The two made contact before Zwane’s hand struck Alvarado in the face.
After the match, South Africa coach Hugo Broos said he could accept the sending off of Sithole, who denied a goalscoring chance to Mexico on the edge of the area, but thought Zwane’s dismissal was contentious.
"The second red card we can discuss," Broos said at the post-match press conference. "It was the Mexican player who was blocking my player. But it's the position of the referee, and we have to accept it also, but I think it was too soft to give that as a red card.
"The first red card, you have to accept it. Their player was going alone to the goal and Yaya (Sithole) fouled him, so that I can understand."
Dismissals at the World Cup earn the offender an automatic one-match ban, but in the case of foul play it can be extended by the FIFA disciplinary committee.
South Africa, who play the Czech Republic in Atlanta on Thursday in their second Group A game, can appeal, FIFA said.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Atlanta; Editing by Ken Ferris)
