South Africa defender, Rushine De Reuck, has alleged that both the Senegalese referee, Maguette Ndiaye and the Black Stars players knew what they were going to do in the final second round group game of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

The defender was penalised and conceded a penalty after being adjudged to have fouled Daniel Amartey in the penalty box, resulting in Andre Ayew scoring the game’s winner from the spot.

The penalty awarded to Ghana is part of the decisions being challenged by the South Africa Football Association (Safa) as they lodge a complaint to FIFA.

South Africa needed a point to finish as group leaders in Group G but the 1-0 loss at the Cape Coast Stadium on Sunday, November 14, meant that they lost the top spot to the Black Stars.

Speaking during Safa press conference to detail their concerns in the course of the game against Ghana, De Reuck insisted that Ndiaye and the Ghanaian players had a rehearsal prior to the game.

“It was a big game and we knew what it would mean for the country, and we were ready playing against the best in the world,” he explained.

"But I felt the opportunity to get a good result was taken away. The decisions that were made, it felt like the game was rehearsed - from the referees to the ball boys. We continued to fight.”

SAFA also hired a private video investigator to assess the decisions from the Senegalese referee, with the investigator concluding that most of the referee’s wrong calls in the game came in the opening 45 minutes.

“I used 5 hours and 17 minutes to review the first half because this was where all the alleged manipulation happened. I kept pausing the video and then go back for a replay,” Ace Ncobo, a former referee, said.

“There were only five incorrect decisions in the second half so I spent a little over two hours to review the game in that half. I enjoyed watching football in the second half because the referee allowed the match to flow,” he added.

South Africa hope to be given a chance to replay the match in order to qualify for the final round of qualifiers.

For the moment, Ghana looks forward to a favorable draw, slated for December 18.

This will reveal which team the Black Stars will face in a two-legged affair in March 2022.