Watch: Goalkeeper shown red card after bizarre incident

TS Galaxy goalkeeper Sipho Maseti endured a nightmare moment after being shown a straight red card for handling the ball well outside his penalty area during his side’s 2-2 Betway Premiership draw against Siwelele on Sunday.

The bizarre incident appeared to stem from confusion caused by faded rugby markings on the Free State Stadium pitch, with Maseti seemingly mistaking them for the boundary of his penalty area.

The young goalkeeper casually picked up a long ball around 22 yards from goal, leaving the referee with little choice but to send him off in one of the most unusual dismissals seen in South African football.

Coach support

Despite the blunder, TS Galaxy coach Bernard Parker threw his support behind the youngster.

“With any youngster, there will be mistakes,” Parker said, referring to the errors made by both Maseti and Nkosi.

“As long as they learn from the mistakes, it is just for us, as a technical team, to encourage him and make sure that he does not commit such mistakes again in crucial, crucial moments and in crucial matches like this.”

The incident has once again highlighted concerns over the quality and suitability of some South African football venues. Free State Stadium is a multi-purpose venue that hosts both rugby and football, and the faded rugby markings are believed to have contributed to Maseti’s costly lapse.

Siwelele were forced to stage the match there because their regular home ground, Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium in Bloemfontein, was unavailable.