The South African Football Association (Safa) will be kept waiting by Fifa on the appeal they lodged against the suspension of Bongani Zungu from Bafana Bafana’s must-win World Cup qualifier against Senegal next Friday.

Safa are appealing the red card‚ and automatic one-match suspension to Zungu that he received in Bafana’s 3-1 victory over Burkina Faso at the FNB Stadium last month.

The matter was supposed to have been heard on Thursday‚ but Safa’s communications manager Dominic Chimhavi revealed on Friday that Fifa had told the association that they will only indicate next week as to whether Zungu is eligible to play on Friday in Polokwane.

“Fifa has indicated to us that they will give us their final ruling on Zungu before our first leg match against Senegal on Friday‚” Chimhavi said on Friday.

There is still a chance‚ despite Safa’s appeal‚ in a worst-case scenario‚ that Fifa’s review committee can decide to add a second game’s suspension to Zungu’s automatic one‚ if they decide the player is guilty of violent conduct.

This happened to Bafana defender Mulomowandau Mathoho for his foul that led to his red card in SA’s 2-1 defeat against Cape Verde in Praia on September 1‚ which resulted in a two-game suspension and R70 000 fine for the Kaizer Chiefs player.

That scenario would mean Zungu missing both the must-win games against Senegal.

As it stands Zungu has a one-match suspension from his red card when the midfielder was one of many players from both sides involved in a scuffle‚ yet somehow singled out for retaliation by the referee.

He and Andil Jali‚ who also has a one-game suspension‚ have been selected in Bafana coach Stuart Baxter’s squad as they will both be available for the follow-up game in Dakar on Tuesday‚ November 14.

Safa’s appeal was made in the hopes of having Zungu available for the first game too‚ at Peter Mokaba Stadium.

The association and Baxter have now been kept on hold‚ and will be left on tenterhooks‚ and the coach perhaps left making late adjustments in his planning‚ until soon before next week’s home game.

Bafana will report in the camp in Johannesburg on Monday and travel to Polokwane on Tuesday.