JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – South Africa football team, wey dey lead Group C for 2026 FIFA World Cup Africa qualifiers, fit lose three points after dem play one ineligible player for their 2-0 victory over Lesotho last Friday. Di player wey cause di wahala na midfielder Teboho Mokoena, wey don collect two yellow cards before di last match against Lesotho.
Mokoena don receive di first yellow card when South Africa beat Benin Republic 2-1 in November 2023. He collect di caution for 54th minute. Di Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder don again fall hand for 52nd minute during South Africa 3-1 win over Zimbabwe in June 2024.
Even though Mokoena was part of di starting team against Lesotho, he was supposed to no dey play. He manage stay 82 minutes before dem sub am with Thalente Mbatha. According to FIFA rules, a player wey don collect two yellow cards for di competition no fit play di next match.
“If players or team officials collect two cautions in one match or for two different matches for di competition, dem go face automatic suspension from di team’s next match,” FIFA talk for di rule book.
If Nigeria or Lesotho, wey dey four points behind South Africa, fit protest about di matter, FIFA fit no even consider am if e no submit at di correct time. Di FIFA rule states, “Protests regarding di eligibility of players must be submitted in writing within two hours of di match and follow up with a complete report to di FIFA Disciplinary Committee within 24 hours.”
Should di protest succeed, Lesotho, wey dey fifth with five points go get di three points. This go make dem reach eight points, while Nigeria go don get chance to surpass South Africa depending on di results of Tuesday matches. South Africa currently dey hold di top of di group with 10 points, while Benin dey second with eight points, Rwanda dey third with seven points, and Nigeria dey fourth with six points after five matches.
South Africa coach, Hugo Broos, don issue warning for him squad ahead of di upcoming crucial World Cup qualifier against Benin on Tuesday. “No one dey guaranteed to start. We be family of 23, no be just 11,” he talk. Broos also mention say di youngsters wey score for Lesotho – Relebohile Mofokeng and Jayden Adams – fit not start di match against Benin.
In another group, FIFA don overturn ban on Equatorial Guinea winger Emilio Nsue. Group H now dey expect for di reversal of victories over Namibia and Liberia. Should di appeal succeed, di central Africans go rise from fifth to second place in di group wey Tunisia dey lead.
Kenya dey face must-win match against Gabon, as dem new South African coach, Benni McCarthy, dey dream to surprise people with World Cup qualification. Kenya, wey don draw with Gambia, dey trailing leaders Ivory Coast and Gabon.
“As we prepare to depart for Côte d’Ivoire, we like to thank Polokwane, Limpopo, and all South Africans for di amazing support!!! We don board our flight to Côte d’Ivoire and we dey on our way to di next chapter of our 2026 World Cup journey,” di team don post for their social media ahead of di next game.
