The chief executive officer of South Africa Football Association (SAFA), Lydia Monyepao has downplayed any likely effect of a three points deduction that might be handed the country by world soccer governing body, FIFA, Sports247 reports.
While apprehension keeps rising over the likelihood of South Africa being punished for using an inelligible player in the first leg of their 2026 World Cup qualifier with Lesotho, Monyepao pointed out that Bafana Bafana would still qualify at the end of the day.
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Monyepao took a closer look at the current standing in Bafana’s qualification group, in which South Africa stood three points in front of the second placed Benin Republic as well as six ahead of both Nigeria and Rwanda
With Bafana likely to play ‘away’ to Zimbabwe on their home soil and then end the qualifiers at home in October, Monyepao theorised that winning both games would render any deduction of their points irrelevant.
She added, “We’ve received communication from FIFA about an investigation that they have launched into the result of the Lesotho match, but we are not really worried about that.
“Our focus right now is to make sure that Bafaba Bafana gets the maximum points come October. Whatever happens … whether they are taking our points or whatever they are saying out there … if we get six points come October, nothing else is fundamental.”
The SAFA CEO concluded with an affirmation that all hands are on deck towards ensuring that their team wins both forthcoming games and stressed: “It’s all about Bafana Bafana getting to USA, Mexico and Canada in 2026.”
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