- Lesotho lodged a formal protest against South Africa’s fielding of an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, in their 2-0 win over Lesotho in World Cup qualifying
- If CAF rules in Lesotho's favour, South Africa's points could drop from 13 to 10, offering a chance for Nigeria to close the gap in Group C
- Nigeria, currently in fourth place, hoped for CAF intervention to strengthen their World Cup qualification push, with only three points separating them from South Africa
A potential boost has emerged for the Super Eagles in their bid to overtake South Africa in Group C of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, following a formal protest lodged by Lesotho against their southern neighbours.
Lesotho has accused South Africa of fielding an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, in their 2-0 victory over Lesotho last week.
The protest comes after Lesotho’s football officials discovered that Mokoena had been booked in South Africa’s opening match against Benin Republic in November 2023, and again in their subsequent fixture against Zimbabwe.
According to the rules, these bookings should have ruled him out of the game against Lesotho, a match which Bafana Bafana won 2-0 at home.
Lesotho’s protest could have significant repercussions for South Africa, whose 13-point tally from six matches may now be reduced to 10, pending CAF’s investigation.
This could open a window of opportunity for Nigeria, who are currently in fourth place with seven points after their 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe on Tuesday, March 25.
With only three points separating them from South Africa, the Super Eagles would need to capitalise on this situation to close the gap.
Mokhosi Mohapi, the Secretary-General of the Lesotho Football Association (LFA), confirmed the protest, stating: “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.”
This development may strengthen recent arguments by some football experts, including former Secretary-General of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ambassador Fanny Amun. Amun had suggested that there would be no political favouritism from South Africa’s COSAFA partners, Lesotho and Zimbabwe, when it comes to the Super Eagles’ matchups against Bafana Bafana.
However, the final decision rests with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), who will investigate the matter.
The involvement of South African Patrice Motsepe as CAF’s president has led to questions about potential bias, but it remains to be seen whether the continental body will side with Lesotho or uphold South Africa’s victory.
Super Eagles' World Cup hopeful opens up about his struggles with professionalism in football
Previously, TheRadar reported that despite leading the Belgian Jupiler Pro League’s scoring charts, Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare admitted that professionalism remains his biggest area for improvement.
The Genk forward, who is nearing the end of a prolific season, reflected on his personal and professional growth in an eye-opening interview.
Arokodare’s revelation comes at an important moment as he prepares to represent Nigeria in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Having been named in the Super Eagles’ final squad, his performances have not gone unnoticed.
