West Ham’s Ghanaian winger Mohammed Kudus has expressed deep embarrassment after the FA extended his suspension by two additional games, following a red card in the team’s 4-1 defeat to Tottenham last month. Originally banned for three matches, Kudus was found guilty of violent conduct after a confrontation involving Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven and Pape Matar Sarr.

The incident, which occurred in the 82nd minute, escalated when Kudus fouled Van de Ven, prompting a heated reaction between the teams. Van de Ven alleged that Kudus “punched him in the face,” while Sarr was also pushed in the scuffle. Initially shown a yellow card, the decision was upgraded to a red after a VAR review, leading to the initial three-game ban.

Following further investigation, the FA extended the ban by two games and fined Kudus £60,000. In a statement submitted to the FA regulatory commission, Kudus admitted to being “deeply embarrassed” by his actions, acknowledging them as “out of character.” He noted personal and professional stressors, including online criticism and a recent international trip, as factors leading up to the incident.

Kudus has already missed matches against Manchester United and Nottingham Forest and will also sit out West Ham’s upcoming game against Everton.