Corruption Haunts Bafana Bafana As They Prepare For A World Cup Replay With Senegal

The referee was guilty of "unlawfully influencing match results".
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REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh (SOUTH AFRICA - Tags: SPORT SOCCER WORLD CUP)
Amr Dalsh / Reuters

Bafana Bafana has been dealt another blow following their below-par performance against Cape Verde. This time they will have to replay their 2018 World Cup qualifier match against Senegal after the match referee was found guilty of match-fixing.

South Africa had won the match 2-1 back in November last year when a fortuitous penalty award to Bafana won them the game. The referee went under review following complaints by the Senegalese national team and he was found guilty of "unlawfully influencing match results".

Ghanaian referee Joseph Lamptey was found guilty of match manipulation and was subsequently banned for life from all football activities by FIFA.

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(Photo by Joern Pollex - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Joern Pollex - FIFA via Getty Images

He awarded the penalty to South Africa in their 2-1 win for handball, but replays showed the ball hit Senegal's Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly on the knee.

FIFA said the game would be replayed in the November this year. This replay potentially changes the dynamics of Bafana's 2018 ambitions.

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(Photo credit should read PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images

If Bafana lose their replay against Senegal, they will ultimately be eliminated from the 2018 World Cup in Russia.