South Africa-Senegal match to be replayed after Ghanaian referee banned for life

Referee Joseph Lamptey was banned for life after being found guilty of throwing a match.

Fifa orders that World Cup qualifier between South Africa and Senegal match be replayed after the referee awarded a penalty for a nonexistent handball and was banned for life for match manipulation.

The game, which South Africa won 2-1 in November last year, will be replayed this November on a date still to be decided. It says it made the decision to order a replay after the court of arbitration for sport upheld a life ban for the referee in question, Joseph Lamptey of Ghana.

Fifa found Lamptey guilty of breaching the rule relating to “unlawfully influencing match results”.

South Africa won 2-1 win over Senegal in an African qualifying Group D clash in November last year.

He gave a penalty for a nonexistent handball against the Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly during the game in Polokwane, South Africa. Replays showed the ball struck Koulibaly’s knee and dropped to the ground.

South Africa scored the penalty and went on to win the qualifier for their only victory so far in the final round of qualifiers in Africa. A different result could have a big impact on the South Africa-Senegal group. Senegal trail the joint-leaders Burkina Faso and Cape Verde by a point.

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.”