Overview

• FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee awarded the March 21 match to Lesotho 3-0 after South Africa fielded ineligible midfielder Teboho Mokoena.
• The sanction deducted three points and dropped South Africa to second in Group C on 14 points, trailing Benin on goal difference.
• SAFA has requested written reasons for the ruling, filed an appeal within FIFA’s deadline, and issued a public apology for the oversight.
• FIFA also fined SAFA about R200,000 and issued Mokoena a warning.
• Coach Hugo Broos accepted blame, urged collective accountability, and called for focus on hosting Zimbabwe on Oct. 10 in Durban and Rwanda on Oct. 14 in Mbombela.