Zungu cleared for Bafana’s second match against Senegal

Less than 24 hours after the South African Football Association had said Fifa had kept them waiting on the appeal on Bongani Zungu’s suspension‚ Safa have said that they have in fact been informed of an outcome for the Bafana Bafana midfielder.

Safa have failed in their bid to have Zungu’s red card overturned‚ so he remains suspended for Bafana’s home game against Senegal in Polokwane on Friday.

Fifa’s disciplinary committee‚ Safa said in a statement‚ decided against imposing a further ban on Zungu for the second‚ away game against the Lions of Teranga in Dakar on Tuesday. November 14.

Safa’s communications manager Dominic Chimhavi had told TimesLive on Friday morning that Fifa had said they will revert to them next week on the Zungu matter.

However‚ Chimhavi appears to have been misinformed as the Fifa DC had dealt with on Thursday.

Safa had appealed the red card‚ and automatic one-match suspension to Zungu that he received in Bafana’s 3-1 victory over Burkina Faso at the FNB Stadium last month.

Safa’s statement quoted the Fifa outcome as saying: “The player Bongani Zungu is regarded as having breached art. 48 par.1 c) of the FIFA Disciplinary Code in the match played between South Africa and Burkina Faso.

“The player is suspended for one (1) match‚ including automatic suspension‚ which will be served in the match between South Africa and Senegal of 10 November 2017.”

Zungu has also been ordered to pay the cost of Thursday’s sitting.

There was fear that‚ despite Safa’s appeal‚ in a worst-case scenario Fifa’s review committee might decide to add a second game’s suspension to Zungu’s automatic one‚ if they decide the player is guilty of violent conduct.

This happened to Bafana defender Mulomowandau Mathoho for his foul that led to his red card in SA's 2-1 defeat against Cape Verde in Praia on September 1‚ which resulted in a two-game suspension and R70 000 fine for the Kaizer Chiefs player.

That scenario would have meant Zungu missing both the must-win games against Senegal.

As it stands Zungu now has a one-match suspension from his red card.

The midfielder was one of many players from both sides involved in a scuffle in the Burkina game‚ yet somehow singled out for retaliation by the referee.

He and Andil Jali‚ who also has a one-game suspension‚ have been selected in Bafana coach Stuart Baxter’s squad as they will both be available for the follow-up game in Dakar.

Safa’s appeal was made in the hopes of having Zungu available for the first game too‚ at Peter Mokaba Stadium.

Bafana will report in the camp in Johannesburg on Monday and travel to Polokwane on Tuesday.