BY Nadia Ntiamoah
South Africa’s national football team, Bafana Bafana, is facing a major setback in their World Cup qualification campaign.
FIFA has deducted three points from the team due to an administrative error involving midfielder Teboho Mokoena, who played in a match against Lesotho despite being on a yellow-card suspension.
The Saga
Mokoena had accumulated two yellow cards during the campaign, making him ineligible to play in the match against Lesotho.
Despite this, he was fielded by coach Hugo Broos, and South Africa won the match 2-0.
However, FIFA has now declared the match forfeited, resulting in a 3-0 loss for South Africa.
Impact on the Qualification Campaign
This decision has significant implications for South Africa’s World Cup qualification hopes.
The team had collected 17 points from eight games, sitting at the top of Group C with a three-point gap over second-placed Benin.
However, with the three-point deduction, they have been overtaken by Benin.
What’s Next?
Bafana Bafana now face a tough challenge to qualify for the World Cup.
They will need to win their remaining two matches against Zimbabwe and Rwanda to keep their hopes alive.
Benin, on the other hand, faces Rwanda and Nigeria in their final two qualifiers.
FIFA’s Decision
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the South African Football Association (SAFA) for fielding an ineligible player. SAFA has been ordered to pay a fine of CHF 10,000 to FIFA, while Mokoena has been issued with a warning.
The decision is subject to appeal, and SAFA has ten days to request a motivated decision.
