Bafana Bafana may be at risk of a points deduction after fielding Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Teboho Mokoena in their 2-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Lesotho.
Bafana Bafana boss Hugo Broos was visibly delighted to see his side record a convincing victory over their neighbours in front of the home supporters on Friday night, however, the Belgian tactician now waits patiently.
Read: Bafana Bafana aim for key World Cup qualifier victory
Speaking after the win over Lesotho, Broos told SABC: “It was very important today that we got the three points. We knew it would be a tough game and we played a team that didn’t want to lose.
“We had four good chances in the first half and didn’t score. We corrected some things and started the second half very well [and] immediately put them under pressure. Once the first goal went in we had done the most difficult bit.
According to FIFA’s regulations, players who receive two yellow cards in separate matches during the qualification campaign are required to serve a one-match suspension.
Mokoena, who had already been booked in South Africa’s opening World Cup qualifier against Benin in November 2023, was also shown a yellow card in a previous qualifier against Zimbabwe in July 2023.
This would have made him ineligible for the match against Lesotho, meaning that Bafana Bafana may have violated the rules by including him in the lineup for the game.
Despite this, Mokoena played a full 82 minutes at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday before being substituted for Thalente Mbatha. This has led to concerns that Bafana Bafana could face repercussions from FIFA, including the possibility of losing the three points earned in the match.
As it stands, South Africa leads Group C of the World Cup qualifiers with 10 points, maintaining a narrow advantage over Benin, who have eight points, and Rwanda, who sit on seven.
The team will now turn their attention to their next fixture, a crucial match against Benin on Tuesday evening, where the potential ineligibility of Mokoena could raise further complications.
FIFA is expected to review the situation, and the outcome could significantly impact the standings in Group C, depending on whether the points from the Lesotho match are overturned. Bafana Bafana will be hoping for a positive resolution as they continue their quest for World Cup qualification.