Rohr insists FIFA must deduct three points from South Africa
The much-talked-about 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match between the Super Eagles and Group C leaders, Bafana Bafana, holds today in Bloemfontein, but the Super Eagles might play without the usual feisty sounds of drums and trumpets by members of the Unified Supporters Club.
The supporters club members only got their visas at the South Africa embassy in Lagos at about 1.30 p.m. yesterday, and as at 2.30 p.m., they were still running around in Lagos trying to arrange their flight for the trip.
“We just collected our visas now, but we have not been able to establish contact with officials of the National Sports Commission (NSC) over our flight from Lagos to Johannesburg,” an official of the Supporters Club told The Guardian.
“There are two flights to Johannesburg this night. If we are lucky to get the tickets, we will depart at 10.00 p.m. or 11.00 p.m. today (Monday) for Johannesburg and travel four hours by road to Bloemfontein,” the official said.
The Nigerian delegation, led by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, arrived at the Bloemfontein Airport at 6.25 p.m. local time on Sunday aboard a chartered ValueJet aircraft.
The flight, which lasted three and a half hours from Luanda, Angola, had earlier taken off from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and made a two-and-a-half-hour stop in Luanda to refuel.
The Super Eagles were welcomed in Bloemfontein by Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Tope Ajayi, alongside the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, Adeyinka Adeboye.
They were joined by senior officials of the National Sports Commission, including Salihu Abubakar, Musa Amadu, Dr (Mrs) Kehinde Ajayi, Ebidowei Owiefie, and Seyi Johnson.
Also on the delegation were the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Sports, Kabiru Amadu, NFF General Secretary Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, former Super Eagles captain Nwankwo Kanu, Victor Ikpeba, as well as other stakeholders, management staff, and media representatives.
The Nigerian community in South Africa, led by their president, Smart Nwobi, turned out in large numbers to receive them.
Clad in traditional attire, they sang, drummed, danced and created a carnival-like atmosphere that lifted the spirits of the team.
The Super Eagles were scheduled to hold their official training session at the Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein, yesterday at 6 pm local time (5.00 pm Nigeria time), where Coach Eric Chelle will put finishing touches to his tactical plans for the highly anticipated clash.
Meanwhile, former Super Eagles’ Head Coach and current Benin Republic Manager, Gernot Rohr, is insisting that FIFA must deduct three points from South Africa for fielding an ineligible player in a 2026 World Cup qualifier against Lesotho.
South Africa’s Teboho Mokoena featured in their 2-0 win over Lesotho in March despite being flagged as ineligible, a situation first raised by the Nigerian media and reported to FIFA.
Speaking after Benin Republic’s 1-0 victory over Zimbabwe, Rohr expressed frustration at the governing body’s delay.
“South Africa won against Lesotho? Okay, but the match that matters is the first leg, where they have to lose the three points,” Rohr told Mega Sports.
“The rules are very, very clear. We don’t know why FIFA and CAF haven’t decided to take the points away. It is not normal. We don’t know where we stand. We have 11 points after this match today. South Africa has to lose three points, and then we will be only two points behind our opponent. What are they waiting for? It is incomprehensible.”
FIFA has reportedly informed the South African Football Association (SAFA) of the infringement and the likelihood of points deduction, but the decision is yet to be enforced.
