THE TERANGA LIONS apparently clinched their place at next summer’s finals by winning 2-0 in South Africa in a replayed fixture last Friday.
However, second-placed Burkina Faso and South Africa have both appealed against FIFA’s decision to annul the original result – a 2-1 win for the hosts.
If the Court of Arbitration for Sport upholds their pleas, the Stallions will go to Russia if they can beat Cape Verde tomorrow and Senegal slip up at home to South Africa.
That would see Liverpool winger Mane, West Ham aces Cheikhou Kouyate and Diafra Sakho, plus Everton’s Idrissa Gueye miss out on the finals.
Burkina Faso FA president Sita Sangare insisted: “Senegal have not yet qualified. An appeal has been made to the CAS and it has to be respected.
“The CAS has yet to make its decision. It has told us that our appeal is admissible, and better still they have told South Africa the same about their own appeal.”
“They will examine both pleas, by 1 December at the latest.
“We now need a big win against Cape Verde, and for Senegal to only draw in Dakar. Both are possible.”
“We will play flat out and try for as big a win as possible, while keeping an eye on events in the other game.
“We have no doubt that the CAS will annul the game played last Friday – as it should never have been played in the first place.”
FIFA banned Ghanaian referee Joseph Lamptey for life for match-fixing earlier this year.
Lamptey awarded South Africa a penalty for a non-existent handball during their 2-1 win over Senegal in November 2016.
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