Moroka Swallows midfielder Lindokuhle Mtshali has expressed his sincere remorse to Royal AM right back Khulekani Shezi, who suffered a dislocated foot during the DStv Premiership clash at Dobsonville Stadium on Saturday.

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The incident occurred when Mtshali lost control while dribbling and landed awkwardly on Shezi’s left foot. While initial reports suggested a broken bone, Mtshali clarified that Shezi sustained a dislocation with ligament damage.

“I deserved the red card,” Mtshali acknowledged in a statement to Sportswire. “It was never my intention to injure him, especially since he was tackling for the ball. Landing on him that way was unfortunate.”

Mtshali emphasized the accidental nature of the collision. “This is the first red card of my career, and the way it happened is painful,” he said. “After the game, I saw Shezi. He could walk, but the pain behind his knee was severe. He understood it was a mistake, and I reiterated that I wasn’t trying to hurt him. I was simply dribbling, and he was attempting a tackle. I even told the referee I deserved a red card.”

Referee Christopher Kistoor initially awarded a foul in Mtshali’s favor due to the tackle but changed his decision upon seeing the severity of Shezi’s injury. Mtshali explained, “The referee initially intended to award me the foul as I was being tackled. However, he consulted with his linesman, who advised issuing a red card. That’s the information I received from the referee, and I have apologized profusely.”

Taking full responsibility for the incident, Mtshali extended his apologies to the PSL, Swallows FC, Royal AM, the fans who witnessed the collision, and Shezi’s family. “I want to sincerely apologize to the PSL, my club Swallows, Royal AM, the fans, and especially to Shezi and his family,” stated the former Golden Arrows midfielder.

The match itself saw Mtshali score the equalizer for Swallows after Royal AM’s Levy Mashiane opened the scoring. Despite the red card, Swallows found themselves at a numerical disadvantage, and Royal AM capitalized with a goal from Sabelo Sithole to secure all three points and avoid the relegation playoffs.

On a brighter note for Mtshali, his impressive strike against Stellenbosch FC a few weeks ago earned him the PSL Goal of the Month award for May on Monday.