‘We feel very robbed’ – SA football chief Motlanthe says South Africa will challenge decisions on game against Ghana

The CEO of the South Africa Football Association Tebogo Motlanthe has said the country’s football body will challenge the decisions made in their World Cup qualifying game against Ghana on Sunday.

Ghana edged South Africa 1-0, courtesy of a 33rd minute penalty, which was awarded in debatable circumstances with Daniel Amartey falling to the floor after the mildest of contacts.

Both Ghana and South Africa had 13 points in the group and after ending with the same goal difference, the Black Stars advanced to the World Cup play-offs courtesy of having scored one goal more than Bafana Bafana in the group (7-6).

Motlanthe says aside the penalty incidence there were lots of questionable decisions in the game, which has left the football association ‘disheartened’ and as a result, they are going to write to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and also to world governing body, FIFA for an investigation to be carried out.

“Match officials have decided the game, which is not what is supposed to happen,” Motlanthe told the media after the game. “So we as the association, we have decided that we will be writing to both CAF and FIFA to investigate – first how the game was handled and secondly to also challenge some of these decisions.

“We have already registered with the match commissioner that we will be writing a formal complaint, supported by all the evidence to say the game was indeed manipulated.

“We are very disheartened and we can’t leave it to let it destroy the players, when we have the chance to challenge it. We will challenge it.

“We feel very much robbed because it is not an isolated event of a penalty,” the CEO continued. “There are just lots of questionable decisions by match officials.

Four years ago, FIFA had ordered the World Cup qualifier between South Africa and Senegal to be replayed after the referee – Joseph Lamptey of Ghana – awarded a penalty for a nonexistent handball against Senegal’s Kalidou Koulibaly and was banned for life for match manipulation.

The game, which South Africa won 2-1 in November 2016, was replayed in November 2017 and Motlanthe says the same decision should be taken regarding their game with Ghana.

“We are looking at the precedent which FIFA set by ordering us to replay Senegal and we think if justice is to be served, the same decision should be taken on this Ghana game.”

Motlanthe disclosed that SAFA will hold a press conference on Wednesday.