Ethan Brooks

Ethan Brooks was reduced to tears as SAFA detailed their formal complaint to FIFA following Bafana Bafana’s controversial defeat to Ghana. Photo: Twitter @iDiskiTimes

Bafana Bafana star in TEARS at explosive SAFA press conference – PICTURES

Ethan Brooks was reduced to tears as SAFA detailed their formal complaint to FIFA following Bafana Bafana’s controversial defeat to Ghana.

Ethan Brooks

Ethan Brooks was reduced to tears as SAFA detailed their formal complaint to FIFA following Bafana Bafana’s controversial defeat to Ghana. Photo: Twitter @iDiskiTimes

Ethan Brooks was reduced to tears on Wednesday as SAFA detailed their formal complaint to FIFA requesting the investigation into possible “match manipulation” in Bafana Bafana’s heartbreaking 2022 Soccer World Cup qualifier defeat to Ghana last Sunday.

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In an explosive press conference, SAFA president Danny Jordaan detailed the comprehensive formal complaint that was made to FIFA on several irregularities by Senegalese referee Maguette N’Diaye at the Cape Coast Stadium.

Hugo Broos and Ethan Brooks during the SAFA Press Conference on 17 November 2021 at SAFA House / Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

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N’Diaye’s performance was widely criticised with former leading South African referee Ace Ncobo claiming that N’Diaye got 90.9% of his decisions wrong – to the detriment of Bafana Bafana – during the first half of the match ALONE!.

Jordaan included spot-betting among the list of things requested for FIFA to investigate.

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The press conference proved too much for 20-year-old TS Galaxy midfielder Ethan Brooks was reduced to tears while offering his thoughts on the match in Ghana.

Ethan Brooks during the SAFA Press Conference on 17 November 2021 at SAFA House / Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

Brooks was already emotional when he took his seat to give his thoughts on the encounter.

“Like Ronwen [Williams], Rushine [de Reuck] and Tebogo [Mokoena] said it’s a very good squad that we have,” Brooks said.

“We were really confident throughout the whole qualifiers, and I would just like to say that being one of the youngest in the group.

“I am glad that I was able to be part of this group and being able to look up to these guys.

“In terms of the game, we went out there with confidence and our coach mentioned that we should do that.

“With me being one of the youngest and one of the smallest I went out there and made sure that I did give my best and compete in every duel.

“So I did feel though with every duel the referee turned his head the other way and for me, it’s just not nice to see that.

“Giving my all doing all of that but like I said this is a good bunch of players that you know and it hurts to go out like this.

“But we will learn and grow from this.”

Bafana Bafana needed to avoid defeat in Ghana last Sunday in order to progress to the next stage of qualifying for next year’s World Cup in Qatar.

Alas, that proved a bridge too far as a controversial 33rd-minute penalty which was converted by Andre Ayew saw the Black Stars win 1-0 and top Group G.

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Only the 10 groups winners progressed to the next phase where they will be randomly drawn into five head-to-head, home and away matches to determine the five Africa representatives in Qatar in 2022.

South Africa last qualified for a World Cup back in 2002 and only ‘qualified’ to play at the 2010 spectacle as the country hosted the tournament.

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