Two opponents cancel games with South Africa amid violence

By: The Associated Press Posted: 10:14 AM CDT Thursday, Sep. 5, 2019

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's soccer federation (SAFA) says Madagascar pulled out of playing an international game on Saturday, amid xenophobic violence in Johannesburg and elsewhere in the country.

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JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's soccer federation (SAFA) says Madagascar pulled out of playing an international game on Saturday, amid xenophobic violence in Johannesburg and elsewhere in the country.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/09/2019 (2557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s soccer federation (SAFA) says Madagascar pulled out of playing an international game on Saturday, amid xenophobic violence in Johannesburg and elsewhere in the country.

Madagascar was a late replacement after Zambia’s soccer officials cancelled plans to host South Africa for a game in Lusaka on Saturday.

South Africa has faced criticism from African countries during several days of violent mobs attacking foreign-owned businesses in Johannesburg and Pretoria.

In this Monday, Sept. 2, 2019, photo, Nigerian foreign nationals remove a looter from their shops in Troyville, Johannesburg and take him to a waiting police van. Looting and violence spread across several neighbourhoods in South Africa's major cities of Pretoria and Johannesburg after a spate of attacks that appeared to target foreign-owned shops. (AP Photo)

SAFA says on Twitter that Madagascar “decided to withdraw from the encounter” without specifying the reason.

Free tickets were offered for the hastily arranged game at Orlando Stadium in Soweto.

SAFA earlier published a message from coach Molefi Ntseki calling on fans to attend and “use this opportunity to spread word of love and show solidarity with ‘our African brothers and sisters.'”