Young Africans have lodged an official complaint with CAF, alleging match-fixing in their defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns in a CAF Champions League quarter-final clash at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
This comes after the team thought they had opened the scoring against Masandawana in the 59th minute of the game when Stephane Aziz Ki shot against the crossbar.
The ball bounced down in what looked like a close call, but the match official decided it was not a goal and was later backed by VAR.
Masandawana ultimately won the game on penalties after it remained goalless after 180 minutes of lay, winning the shootout 3-2.
In a statement released by the team, the Young Africans allege that the actions by the referee team indicated a deliberate attempt to influence the outcome of the match in favour of Mamelodi Sundowns, constituting a serious case of match-fixing.
“This is further supported by the selective use of VAR, primarily focusing on fouls committed by Young Africans Sports Club for potential red cards, while ignoring a legitimate goal-scoring opportunity.
“We request a thorough investigation into this matter by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to uncover any evidence of administrative error or match-fixing. Such actions are detrimental to the spirit of the game and must be addressed promptly to maintain the credibility of football competitions under CAF.” Read the statement.
They urged CAF to take appropriate remedial actions, which may include but are not limited to Conducting a detailed review of the match footage and VAR records. They also called for the relevant culprits, if any, to be held accountable and for measures to be implemented to prevent a similar incident from occurring In future.
“We remain committed to upholding the principles of fair play, transparency, and integrity in football, and trust that CAF will take decisive steps to address this matter and uphold the values of the sport.” Read the statement.
