The world football governing body, FIFA, has confirmed that it has received a complaint from the South African Football Association (SAFA) over their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Ghana, which they lost 1-0.
“FIFA has received a complaint from the South African FA in relation to this matter and will review it. Please understand we cannot comment further at this stage,” the state-owned Daily Graphic website reported the international organisation as saying.
Speaking to the media after Sunday’s clash, the chief executive officer of SAFA, Tebogo Motlanthe, said the match was fraught with infractions.
“So, we as the association have decided that we will be writing to both CAF and FIFA, first to investigate how the game had ended, and secondly also to challenge some of these decisions.
“I think from our hearts is to say the match officials have decided the game which is not what is supposed to happen,” Motlanthe said.
He said not only had the penalty made South Africa feel robbed but there were also questions about many of the referee’s decisions. Motlanthe added that Bafana Bafana will engage the services of an expert to gather all the evidence to make a strong case to FIFA.
Showdown
André Ayew’s first-half effort in taking a penalty was the deciding factor as Ghana beat South Africa 1-0 in Cape Coast to qualify for the final round of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
The former Swansea City ace converted from the spot to win three valuable points for the Black Stars in the final matchday fixture in Group G.
The two teams ended the series with 13 points apiece atop the table, but the West Africans’ better goal difference placed them just ahead as group winners.
Ghana head into the third and final round of the series, where ten nations will battle it out in a play-off for five tickets to Qatar.
In 2016, South Africa had to replay a World Cup qualifier they won 2-1 against Senegal after FIFA found the Ghanaian referee Joseph Lamptey guilty of unlawfully influencing a match result.
Lamptey, who wrongly awarded a penalty to the South Africans, was handed a life ban. Senegal won the replay 2-0 and qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Source: asaaseradio.com