Here’s why you may not be supporting Ghana at this World Cup

The Fifa World Cup is only weeks away and many of us are still deciding who we will be rooting for. One team that may not be on the list is Ghana.

The Black Stars were the darling of the 2010 tournament in SA after making it to the quarterfinals, the highest level achieved by any African team at that year's World Cup. 

Most South Africans were supporting Ghana when they squared up to Uruguay in an explosive clash, were angered when Luis Suarez deliberately handled the ball on the goal line, and were heartbroken when Asamoah Gyan missed the subsequent penalty kick and Ghana later lost the penalty shoot-out.

They were South African neutrals'  favourites ever since, but that all seemed to change late last year when they faced Bafana Bafana in a must-win World Cup qualifier.

A win or draw for Bafana against the Black Stars would have seen them qualify for the playoff round of the World Cup qualifiers.

Instead Senegalese referee Maguette Ndiaye awarded a controversial penalty after ruling that Bafana defender Rushine de Reuck fouled Ghana's Daniel Amartey inside the area, though there was barely contact between the two players.

Safa CEO Tebogo Motlanthe confirmed to TimesLIVE that SA had laid a complaint against Ghana to the world football body Fifa amid suspicions of match-fixing.

“Fifa has responded and things are going forward. Fifa are saying any further submissions on the matter from both Safa and Ghana must be made before November 20.

“And then on November 23 Fifa will convene a meeting of the disciplinary committee where they will consider the matter and then finalise it. A decision will be made whether to take action against Ndiaye and his colleagues, and also whether the game will be replayed.”

Many, including former SA star Steven Pienaar, former Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane, and EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu, blasted the dubious penalty decision. 

The Ghana FA seemingly became engaged in a tit-for-tat with Safa, further poisoning relations between the two countries.

Ghana FA general secretary Prosper Harrison Addo reportedly mocked his South African counterparts, and was quoted as saying Safa “knows nothing in football and this case clearly shows how incompetent they are”, among other claims. 

He denied saying that and is said to have complained to the media house that quoted him. 

Fifa later dismissed the case without providing any details, against which Safa appealed.

So, after Ghana prevented Bafana from nearly qualifying for this year's World Cup, will they still be your team of choice in Qatar?

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