Menzi Magubane
The South African Football Association (SAFA) has written to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to protest Liberia’s plans to take their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers to Morocco.
Bafana Bafana, Liberia and Morocco are in Group K of the qualifiers for the tournament that will be played in Ivory Coast next year.
Liberia does not have a stadium that meets CAF standards, forcing them to move their home games to another country.
According to SAFA, Liberia’s arrangements to take matches to Morocco will be going against fair play principles as the Morocco Football Association will travel less and enjoy the benefit of home ground advantage more than anyone in the group.
“We have been informed that Liberia intends to play their group qualifiers matches in Morocco while they are with Morocco in the same group,” said the letter to CAF secretary general Vernon Mosengo-Omba.
“SAFA hereby raises and officially objects to the arrangement as it goes against the principle of fair play.”
The letter said SAFA understands the challenges of stadiums on the continent.
“But we plead that it not be used to disadvantage other countries or give unfair advantage to others,” said SAFA.
In the 2022 Afcon qualifiers, Sao Tome and Príncipe played their home matches against Bafana in South Africa due to the Covid-19.
Bafana will begin their 2023 Afcon qualifiers campaign on 30 May.
They will visit Morocco and after that the side will host their neighbours Zimbabwe.
Coach Hugo Broos may have to call other players when he announces his squad that will play in these matches, after the injury to Kaizer Chiefs’ midfielder Keagan Dolly.
Dolly is said to be out for at least six weeks and he is likely to miss Bafana’s matches.
Captain Ronwen Williams is also out due to injury and has missed three SuperSport United matches. He too could miss out on the Bafana games.
Image source: @HeadTopics
