Amaglug-glug midfielder Mothobi Mvala has apologised for the red card he received against hosts Brazil on Thursday.

The clash at the Mane Garrincha Stadium ended in a goalless draw but it was Mvala’s red card in the 58th minute which tilted the scale firmly in the hosts favour.

Mvala received his marching orders following a second bookable offence which left South Africa exposed to the likes of Neymar, Gabriel Jesus and Felipe Anderson but luckily Mvala’s teammates, Itumeleng Khune and Abbubaker Mobara, stood firm and spared him further anguish.

‘I feel really bad for getting a red card and I feel as though I made a big mistake which was unnecessary,’ said Mvala.

‘But I had to do something in the situation. I want to apologise to my teammates and the country as a whole, as I may have disappointed a lot of people. I believe I have learnt a lot from that mistake.

‘I also want to applaud my teammates for their courageous performance after my departure. We played really well, and they continued even during my absence.

‘They did extremely well, and I just believe had it not been for my error maybe we could have attacked more instead of being defensive for the last 30 minutes.

‘It was hard work but they pulled it off.’

Mvala will serve a one-match suspension.

South Africa faces Denmark in Group A action on Sunday.

The match kicks off at midnight.