Bafana Bafana stripped of World Cup qualifying points over ineligible player

By Mark Gleeson

South Africa have been stripped of three points in their World Cup qualifying campaign for fielding an ineligible player, denting their hopes of reaching next year’s finals.

FIFA said on Monday that its disciplinary committee had found South Africa guilty of playing midfielder Teboho Mokoena in a 2-0 home win over Lesotho in March when he should have sat out the qualifier after two cautions in previous Group C games.

Lesotho have been awarded a 3-0 victory, with South Africa stripped of the points and fined 10,000 Swiss Francs ($12,536.04), while Mokoena was given a warning.

Benin now top the standings on goal difference, level with South Africa on 14 points with two games left.

Nigeria, who were the group favourites, are three points behind along with Rwanda. Only the group winners qualify directly for the World Cup, though the runners-up have a chance to win a berth