The Lesotho Football Association , LFA, has sent a query to FIFA over the yellow cards accumulated by South Africa midfielder Teboho Mokoena in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Mokoena has been booked twice in the qualifiers, and was fielded by South Africa in last Friday’s 2-0 win over Lesotho.
The Mamelodi Sundowns star should have served an automatic one-match ban, according to FIFA’s rule 63 governing World Cup qualifiers.
There’s uncertainty over whether Mokoena’s first yellow card was expunged at last year’s Africa Cup of Nations, but Fifa rules state clearly that bookings are accumulated “from round to round” – which would exclude the AFCON.
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Bafana Bafana could now lose three points and three goals to Lesotho.
“The question is, was a rule broken? If yes, we are fully entitled to protest and get the points. We were made aware of Mokoena’s bookings and we have since sent a formal inquiry to CAF and Fifa,” LFA secretary-general Mokhosi Mohapi was quoted by Sowetan Live.
“We have heard that Nigeria also want to protest and they too are entitled to that because the result (last Friday) prejudices everyone. Suppose it was us who fielded a defaulter and got the points, Bafana would have done the same.”
Mohapi said South Africa could not expect to use proximity to Lesotho as a basis not to file a protest. “Unfortunately, the law is the law and Safa should have known about the bookings. We have no hard feelings. We want those points.”
By Adeboye Amosu
2 Comments
The rule states the protesting country should file a complaint within 24 hours of the match, which was the March 21 March between SA and Lesotho.
If this petition by Lesotho was sent by 22 March, then it’s guaranteed SA will be docked 3 points, in which case the qualifiers are open for all once again.
I also want add that while Nigeria has the talent to easily win this group, overconfidence among fans and players destroy everything.
All arrogant Nigerian journalists always talking down on other teams during press conferences must stop. Stupid questions like “How do you feel playing against a big team like Nigeria. ‘
Stupid. Stupid. Stupido. Empty arrogance. It plays into the hands of the opponents as the SE players let their guards down while the cunning, humble, disciplined, and quietly determined opponents take advantage of the false confidence and pounce, frustrating Nigeria on game day.
All these Victor Modo and then there skit makers should also be banned from the team. And their best friend Victor Boniface can join them. You won’t catch Osimhen taking part in all those light jokes and goofing around they post on social media. He’s always 100% focused, which shows on game day..
The Zimbabwe coach clearly studies the games Guinea Bissau, CAR, Rwanda etc won against Nigeria in this hoo-doo stadium. Defend for 80 minutes and with 10 minutes to go, bring on fresh strikers to take advantage of tiring SE defenders.
And it worked. Osayi and Ekong were taken out like kindergarten players.
You don get am.