EXPLAINED: Why Mohammed Kudus' yellow card was upgraded to red after shoving opponent

• Mohammed Kudus experienced a rollercoaster of emotions as he moved from hero to villian for West Ham
• The Ghanaian midfielder scored West Ham's only goal as they succumbed to a 4-1 defeat to Tottenham
• Kudus was red carded in the match after VAR upgraded his yellow card to red for violent conduct

Mohammed Kudus experienced a rollercoaster of emotions on Saturday afternoon as West Ham United suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

The 24-year-old initially shone with a brilliant opener, unleashing a powerful strike with his weaker foot to give the visitors an early lead, much to the delight of the away fans.

Kudus scores, but West Ham lose heavily

Despite Kudus' early heroics, West Ham faltered as Tottenham mounted an overwhelming comeback.

Dejan Kulusevski equalised shortly after Kudus' goal, setting the stage for a second-half collapse.

Spurs took complete control, netting three times in the first 15 minutes after the break. The Hammers responded but could not keep the game in reach.

Kudus sees red

As the frustration mounted, Kudus, who had been handed the responsibility of interim captaincy during the recent international break in Thomas Partey's absence, let his emotions get the better of him.

In the dying moments of the match, the Ghanaian midfielder kicked out at Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven and escalated the altercation by shoving both van de Ven and Pape Sarr in the face.

Why Kudus' yellow card was upgraded to red

Initially shown a yellow card, Kudus' actions were reviewed by VAR, which upgraded the booking to a straight red for violent conduct.

The Premier League later issued a clarification, stating on X (formerly Twitter):

"The referee issued a yellow card to Kudus. The VAR deemed that his actions were violent conduct and recommended an on-field review. The referee then upgraded the yellow to a red card."

This marks the first time Kudus has seen red since his early playing days with FC Nordsjaelland in the 2019/20 season.

Kudus apologises to Ghanaians

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus has apologised to Ghanaians after the Black Stars' stuttering display against Sudan in the two-legged AFCON qualifiers in October.

The four-time African champions are on the verge of missing the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco after picking just a point in two matches against the North Africans.

Sudan, led by Ghana legend Kwesi Appiah, held the Black Stars to a goalless draw in Accra before defeating them 2-0 at the Martyrs February Stadium in Libya.

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Source: YEN.com.gh