Berlin (STATS Perform/dpa) – South Africa have filed a complaint to FIFA over perceived «questionable decisions» in Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Ghana which knocked them out the World Cup and have called for the game to be replayed.
Bafana Bafana required a point from the game in Cape Coast to reach the final round of African qualifying for the Qatar 2022, but fell to a 33rd-minute Andrew Ayew penalty.
Ghana advanced to the next stage at South Africa’s expense by finishing above their opponents in Group G on goals scored, with the teams level on both points and goal difference.
However, South Africa Football Association (SAFA) chief executive Tebogo Motlanthe felt a number of calls – including the penalty incident – went against his side.
«The match officials have decided the game, which is not what is supposed to happen,» Motlanthe said in a statement posted on the SAFA’s official Twitter page on Monday.
«We will be writing to both CAF (African football governing body) and FIFA – firstly to investigate how the game was handled and secondly to challenge some of these decisions.
«We have already registered with the match commissioner that we will be making a formal complaint.»
Ghana’s decisive penalty was awarded by referee Maguette Ndiaye for Rushine de Reuck’s seemingly innocuous challenge on Daniel Amartey.