A history of World Cup red cards: high feet, lost heads and a covered mouth | World Cup 2026

After a fairly pedestrian first half of the opening match of the 2026 World Cup, the game burst into life in the second period. South Africa midfielder Sphephelo Sithole, who had been at fault for Mexico’s opening goal, compounded his error by being sent off in the 49th minute for denying a goalscoring opportunity. When Themba Zwane was dismissed, South Africa became the 15th team to have…