Pienaar received two yellow cards in the game and was sent to the stands as Everton held on for a 1-1 draw.

But it now means he will serve an automatic one-game suspension, and unluckily for him it happens to be one of Everton's biggest games of the season, at home to bitter rivals Liverpool.

Pienaar could have no complaints over his first yellow card, but the second was awarded after QPR defender Jose Bosingwa appeared to dive with no contact from the former Ajax Cape Town man.

"To send a player off under those circumstances is a ludicrous decision," Everton manager David Moyes said of ref Jonathan Moss.

"We had the same referee against West Brom. He didn't perform well on that day; he didn't perform well today."

In Sweden, Tokelo Rantie's Malmo kept up their championship charge as they won 2-1 at Kalmar to end the weekend a point behind leaders Hacken with three games to play in the season.

Rantie set up the first goal for his side and continued the fine form that saw him score for Bafana in Kenya last week.

May Mahlangu, who won the Swedish League last season with Helsingborgs, was also in action as his side were disappointingly held 1-1 at home by Orebro to end their hopes of European football next season.

Bafana youngster Siyanda Xulu was ruled out of FC Rostov's 0-0 home draw with Lokomotiv Moscow on Sunday with a thigh injury. It's bad luck for the former Mamelodi Sundowns star, who had just broken into the first team at his Russian club.

Kamohelo Mokotjo sat out Feyenoord's 3-2 away win at VV Venlo with an ankle injury. As the new season approaches the three-month mark, Mokotjo has yet to play a single minute for Feyenoord.