Bafana defender Aden McCarthy sent off in 4-1 European defeat

Bafana Bafana defender Aden McCarthy was shown a red card in the 78th minute of a 4-1 away defeat to Viking in the UEFA Champions League, according to iDiski Times.

The red card came after a VAR review and ended his fourth consecutive start in the competition. The 22-year-old had earlier started against Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund and Slavia Prague.

How the match unfolded

The report names McCarthy’s side as Sabah, who took the lead in the 11th minute. Patrick M’Bina scored after what the report calls a superb counter-attack.

Viking, the home side, levelled in the 27th minute through Erik Botheim. The match stayed balanced until the 69th minute, when Zlatko Tripic put the hosts 2-1 ahead.

The game turned further against Sabah after McCarthy’s dismissal nine minutes later. They conceded again in the 81st minute, with Henrik Falchener on the scoresheet. Botheim then completed his brace in the 94th minute to make it 4-1.

The red card was McCarthy’s second disciplinary blemish of the competition. He was also cautioned against Dortmund, the match in which he scored.

Campbell returns from suspension

Another young Bafana Bafana player, Shandre Campbell, was also in action. He came back from a red card suspension for Kortrijk, but his side lost 3-1 to KV Mechelen. Campbell played for 69 minutes.

What we do not yet know

The report does not say whether McCarthy faces a suspension for the dismissal or how long it could last. Any ban would be decided by the competition’s disciplinary rules, and readers should wait for official confirmation before assuming his availability for the next match.

The two results will be watched closely by South African supporters following their young defenders in Europe. McCarthy has started every one of Sabah’s Champions League games in the report, while Campbell has been working his way back after his own suspension.

This story is based on reporting by iDiski Times.