World Cup Qualifier: FIFA Orders Replay Of S’Africa VS Senegal Match

The world football governing body, FIFA has ordered the World Cup qualifier between South Africa and Senegal to be replayed after the referee was banned for life.
FIFA had in March banned Ghanaian referee Joseph Lamptey for life after they found him guilty of unlawfully influencing a match result.

South Africa won 2-1 win over Senegal in an African qualifying Group D clash in November last year.
Fifa did not give further details but African soccer’s governing body (CAF) said at the time that Lamptey had wrongly awarded a penalty to the South Africans and suspended him for three months.
The life ban for Lamptey was recently upheld by the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
A spokesman said:

“The Bureau for the Fifa World Cup Qualifiers ordered a replay of the qualification match between South Africa and Senegal held on 12 November 2016.
“The match will be replayed within the November 2017 international window, with the exact date to be confirmed in due course.
“As stated in the Fifa World Cup regulations, this decision shall come into effect immediately, but shall be subject to confirmation by the Organising Committee for Fifa Competitions at its next meeting, scheduled for 14 September.”

Meanwhile, in response to FIFA’s decision, the South African Football Association, SAFA, says it may launch an appeal against the world governing body’s decision to order a replay of Bafana Bafana’s match against Senegal last November.
“SAFA is studying the contents of the report and will issue a statement on intentions to challenge that decision.
“SAFA wishes to also state categorically that it was in no way involved with any wrongdoing related to the actions of the referee, as stated in the FIFA report,”  SAFA said in response on Thursday.
By nullifying the original result, it means South Africa will slump even further down the standings and effectively now have a single point from three matches, while Senegal has five points.
Both trail co-leaders, Burkina Faso and the Cape Verde Islands have six points each from four matches.

Previously SAFA president Danny Jordaan said ordering a replay would set a dangerous precedent.
“We will not accept it,” he told reporters in May. “If you must start replaying matches where referees make mistakes we will still be playing the league.
“That referee was appointed by FIFA, that is a FIFA match, it’s not our match so they must deal with their referee and that is the end of story. It’s not our referee, we did not appoint him and we won the match.”
“Our position is that the referee’s decision is final. Referees make so many mistakes. Maradona scored with the hand and then became world champions.
“So many things. Thierry Henry played the ball with his hand and scored and qualified to come here to the 2010 World Cup,” Jordaan added.