Leave him alone! Ex-Bafana coach defends ‘quality player’ Sithole

Former Bafana Bafana coach Augusto Palacios has come to the defence of midfielder Sphephelo Sithole following a difficult performance in South Africa’s World Cup opening match against Mexico.

Sithole earned the unfortunate distinction of being the first player sent off in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. His dismissal came during the 2-0 loss to the host nation.

The midfielder was at fault for Mexico’s opening goal and was later shown a red card in the 49th minute for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

Sithole did nothing out of the ordinary

Speaking to KickOff, Palacios urged for perspective on the incident. “It is common in football for a player to commit a foul; it is a red card, but he was attempting to clear the ball,” he explained.

“I understand that everyone is upset, but this is primarily because we lost the match, and people did not expect us to be defeated.”

The veteran coach emphasised that no player intentionally underperforms on the pitch.

Former Bafana boss defends ‘quality player’

“Every player selected by Hugo Broos is regarded as a quality athlete,” Palacios stated. “We must not single out Sithole for mistakes. He was involved in building from the back, lost possession, and Mexico capitalised, resulting in a goal. He made an error.”

Palacios believes the focus should be on the team’s collective effort rather than individual blunders like a misplaced pass or a red card.

“We should instead focus on our upcoming match against the Czech Republic,” he advised. “It is crucial that we secure a victory in this game and observe the outcome of the match between South Korea and Mexico.”