The FIFA world cup qualifier against Ghana and South Africa that took place in Cape Coast has sparked tempers as SAFA and many South African players have taken to the internet to express their displeasure following a penalty kick that was awarded Ghana which proved to be the decider between the two teams.
One player who has been on the frontline is Mamelodi Sundowns defensive midfielder – Rushine De Reuck has revealed that he believes the 2022 FIFA World Cup Group G qualifying game involving Ghana and South Africa was planned to favour the home team. The culprit who restrained Daniel Amartey of a goal scoring opportunity has lashed out that the game was a rehearsed game.
His comment have left many quizzing whether they (Bafana Bafana) were part of the rehearsal as he was the one who held back the player to be awarded the spot-kick.
The Black Stars beat their South African counterpart 1-0 to advance to the playoff stage courtesy Andre Ayew’s 33rd minute penalty after Leicester defender Amartey was brought down in the box.
Rushine De Reuck who was adjudged to have fouled Daniel Amartey in the box following Kwesi Kyere’s corner kick into the eighteen yard box revealed yesterday that wrong decisions by referee Maguette N’Diaye gifted Ghana the much needed win:
“It’s been a tough few days, not only for myself but for everybody who is part of Bafana Bafana,” the Mamelodi Sundowns star told the media on Wednesday.
“To go out in the way that we did was very painful. We put ourselves in a good situation and no one had given us a chance to do so well. It was very tough for us to go out the way we did.
“Obviously, it was a very big game, wanting to win for the country to qualify for the next round. We were all ready, we were all excited. You’re playing against top players whose playing in the Champions League and the Premier League.
“This is what you want for yourself, to test yourself against the very best players in the world. We did that but it felt like the opportunity for us to get a result was taken away from us because of the decisions that were made against us.
“It was so obvious. It felt like the game was rehearsed. Everybody knew what was going on from the referees to the players, the Ghanaian players and the ball boys even. It was very tough for us to see what was happening.
“Even in the first 10 minutes of the game we already saw that we weren’t going to get anything right but we continued to fight and we had moments in the game to capitalise, but we were robbed, never given a fair chance.
“As a player, I feel we deserve a second chance. It was heart-breaking, to lose in that way broke me. I want to say thank you to the supporters and the encouragement that I got over the last few days.”
The South African Football Association [SAFA] has since lodged a formal complaint to FIFA against N’Diaye, accusing the official of bias.
