A seething Lehlogonolo Masalesa has pleaded for consistency from referees after the Orlando Pirates midfielder received his third red card of the season on Saturday, almost certainly rendering his season over with five Absa Premiership games left.
Speaking for the first time since he was sent off against Golden Arrows at the weekend, Masalesa argued that the two yellow cards he received in Pirates' 4-1 win were not justified.
"I am frustrated because I don't get sent off for malicious tackles," the midfielder told Sowetan yesterday.
"As far I am concerned, SA referees are inconsistent. I am just hoping that the PSL intervenes, especially seeing that this is the end of my season.
"To my surprise - even coach Pitso [Mosimane] once said it - our referees are different [when they officiate] on the continent and that's where the game is physical. You'll hardly see them issuing the cards."
Masalesa said the referee of their match against Arrows, Olani Kwinda, accused him of time-wasting before brandishing a second yellow card, followed by a red in the 53rd minute, something the player disputed.
"How can I waste time when we were leading 3-0 with so much time left? I replayed the game [on TV] when I got home and I couldn't understand what I did wrong [to warrant a red card]."
He felt the "ref's inconsistencies" were further illustrated by the confusion surrounding Edwin Gyimah's yellow card when the defender re-entered the field after he had received medical attention.
Masalesa, who will now miss four games starting with Saturday's crunch Nedbank Cup quarterfinal at Mamelodi Sundowns, said he considered himself unfortunate to have opened his season with a red card and closed with one.
He was sent off from the bench in Pirates' MTN8 Cup quarterfinal loss to Ajax Cape Town in August last year.
Two months later, he was red-carded in his team's league fixture against Bidvest Wits.
According to the PSL rule on dismissals, for each subsequent occasion that a player is dismissed during the same season, the period of suspension will be increased by one match.
Pirates administrative officer Floyd Mbele said the club would not comment as they preferred the referees' structure to deal with the matter.
Ref, what did I do wrong?
A seething Lehlogonolo Masalesa has pleaded for consistency from referees after the Orlando Pirates midfielder received his third red card of the season on Saturday, almost certainly rendering his season over with five Absa Premiership games left.
Speaking for the first time since he was sent off against Golden Arrows at the weekend, Masalesa argued that the two yellow cards he received in Pirates' 4-1 win were not justified.
"I am frustrated because I don't get sent off for malicious tackles," the midfielder told Sowetan yesterday.
"As far I am concerned, SA referees are inconsistent. I am just hoping that the PSL intervenes, especially seeing that this is the end of my season.
"To my surprise - even coach Pitso [Mosimane] once said it - our referees are different [when they officiate] on the continent and that's where the game is physical. You'll hardly see them issuing the cards."
Masalesa said the referee of their match against Arrows, Olani Kwinda, accused him of time-wasting before brandishing a second yellow card, followed by a red in the 53rd minute, something the player disputed.
"How can I waste time when we were leading 3-0 with so much time left? I replayed the game [on TV] when I got home and I couldn't understand what I did wrong [to warrant a red card]."
He felt the "ref's inconsistencies" were further illustrated by the confusion surrounding Edwin Gyimah's yellow card when the defender re-entered the field after he had received medical attention.
Masalesa, who will now miss four games starting with Saturday's crunch Nedbank Cup quarterfinal at Mamelodi Sundowns, said he considered himself unfortunate to have opened his season with a red card and closed with one.
He was sent off from the bench in Pirates' MTN8 Cup quarterfinal loss to Ajax Cape Town in August last year.
Two months later, he was red-carded in his team's league fixture against Bidvest Wits.
According to the PSL rule on dismissals, for each subsequent occasion that a player is dismissed during the same season, the period of suspension will be increased by one match.
Pirates administrative officer Floyd Mbele said the club would not comment as they preferred the referees' structure to deal with the matter.
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