MALI TO PETITION FIFA OVER REFEREEING IN GHANA DEFEAT, DISPUTE DJIKU GOAL
Football federation protests "bad calls" in crucial World Cup qualifier; coach Saintfiet questions foul on goalkeeper before decisive goal.
The Mali Football Federation is preparing to file an official petition to FIFA over the performance of referees during their crucial 2026 World Cup qualifier against Ghana, specifically contesting the validity of Alexander Djiku’s decisive goal in Monday’s match.
According to a TV3 report, Malian officials are particularly dissatisfied with South African referee Badi Luxolo’s oversight of what they believe was a foul on their goalkeeper preceding Djiku’s goal—a result that effectively ended Mali’s World Cup qualification hopes.
Mali coach Tom Saintfiet confirmed his staff and players reported infringements in the build-up to the goal, though he acknowledged he hadn’t seen the incidents clearly himself.
“According to the people around me, the players, it happened after a fault just before the corner. Mohammed Kamara got pushed, that’s what they say. I didn’t see it, and then with the corner, I hear that my goalkeeper also got pushed,” Saintfiet stated after the match.
The 1-0 victory secured Ghana’s position at the top of Group I with 19 points after eight matches, while Mali sits fourth with 12 points, mathematically eliminating them from World Cup contention. Madagascar follows in second with 16 points, while Comoros holds third with 15 points.
The petition represents a formal protest against officiating standards in the critical match, though any potential outcome from FIFA remains uncertain given the limited recourse typically available for disputed in-game decisions.
The Black Stars’ victory marks a significant step toward qualification for their fifth FIFA World Cup appearance, with two matches remaining in the group stage.
Source:NKONKONSA.com
