The world football governing body’s Disciplinary Committee is set to decide South Africa’s fate
Safa chief executive officer Tebogo Motlanthe is “confident” Fifa will order a replay of their match against Ghana as the global football organisation is about to hear Bafana Bafana’s World Cup protest on Tuesday.
South Africa lost 1-0 to Ghana under controversial circumstances in a 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifier and bowed out of the bid to get to Qatar.
After Safa registered a complaint with the world football governing body, protesting against the penalty which the Black Stars converted.
The South Africans suspect match-fixing as they noted a gluttony of errors by referee Maguette Ndiaye which they feel were deliberately committed to influence the result.
In response, Ghana first slammed Safa for the “shocking and disrespectful” match manipulation allegations before writing to Fifa, where they further criticised the South African body for sending “the respected Fifa Disciplinary Committee on a fool’s errand or fishing.”
“They [GFA] are trying to shift the focus,” said Motlanthe as per Phakaaathi.
“What we are complaining about is the conduct of the match officials as governed by article 18 of Fifa’s Disciplinary Code. You can’t make a protest about the referee’s decisions. We believe his [the referee’s] conduct was manipulated.
“They [Fifa] would have just sent it [Safa’s complaint] back otherwise. We will hear from them tomorrow [November 23]. We are still confident.”
Safa’s protest was backed by a report compiled by former top referee Ace Ncobo, noting how Ndiaye handled the match in Cape Coast.
Last week, Fifa confirmed the game between Bafana and Ghana would be probed.
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“We wish to inform the South African Football Association as well as the Ghana Football Association that the above-mentioned protest will be submitted to a member of the Fifa Disciplinary Committee on 23 November 2021 for consideration and decision in accordance with art. 14 (9) of the Regulations Fifa World Cup 2022, Preliminary Competition as well as arts. 46 and 54 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code (FDC),” Fifa said.
If the world football governing body dismisses Safa’s protest, the Black Stars will go on to participate in the play-offs of the World Cup qualifiers.
In the event a replay is ordered, Bafana coach Hugo Broos’ men will have another opportunity to reach Qatar 2022.
SOURCE: GOAL
