Sports

South Africa’s World Cup Dream Suffers Setback As FIFA Wields Big Stick

Published

4 months ago

September 29, 2025

Eric

FIFA has thrown South Africa’s World Cup dream into turmoil after ruling that Bafana Bafana fielded an ineligible player in their March 21 clash against Lesotho.

The disciplinary committee announced on Monday that South Africa must forfeit the match, which they had originally won 2-0, awarding a 3-0 victory to Lesotho.

The punishment stems from the appearance of midfielder Teboho Mokoena, who should have been serving a one-match suspension after picking up two yellow cards earlier in the campaign.

By allowing him to play, the South African Football Association (SAFA) breached Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code as well as Article 14 of the 2026 World Cup preliminary competition regulations.

In addition to the forfeit, SAFA has been hit with a fine of 10,000 Swiss francs, while Mokoena has been issued with a formal warning.

The ruling is effective immediately, and South Africa’s points tally in Group C has now dropped from 17 to 14, leaving their qualification hopes hanging in the balance.

The impact on the standings is significant. South Africa had been clear leaders, but the deduction now places them level on points with Benin.

Nigeria and Rwanda, just three points behind, suddenly see their chances revived, with two decisive fixtures still to be played in the group. Lesotho, who are officially credited with a 3-0 win, also benefit from the ruling, though their prospects of qualifying remain slim.

SAFA has been given ten days to request a detailed, motivated decision from Fifa, which would later be published on the governing body’s legal website. The association also has the right to appeal the sanction before the FIFA Appeal Committee.

While SAFA has yet to issue a detailed response, officials previously played down the risk of disciplinary action, insisting they were focused on the remaining qualifiers. Rival coaches and observers, however, have already voiced frustration at the delay in delivering the ruling, with Benin coach Gernot Rohr describing the process as “very, very strange.”

For South Africa, the road to the 2026 World Cup is suddenly far more complicated, with little margin for error in their remaining fixtures.

Sports

Benfica Tackle Real Madrid Again in Champions League R16 Playoffs (Full List)

Published

4 days ago

January 30, 2026

Eric

The draw for the Champions League last 16 and knockout play-offs has been completed.

One of the most interesting fixtures, will see Benfica play Real Madrid.

The two teams clashed on the last day of the league phase with Jose Mourinho’s men winning 4-2 in Portugal.

That result saw Benfica sneak into the play-offs and denied Madrid an automatic spot.

Clubs have been paired together based on where they finished at the end of the league phase to form seeded and unseeded pairs.

The teams that finished ninth to 16th were in the seeded pairs, while 17th to 24th were in unseeded pairs.

PLAY-OFF DRAWS:

Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta

Olympiacos vs Bayer Leverkusen

Galatasaray vs Juventus

Club Brugge vs Atletico Madrid

Monaco vs PSG

Qarabag vs Newcastle

Benfica vs Real Madrid

Bodo/Glimt vs Inter

Knockout play-off round: February 17-18, February 24-25

Sports

Super Eagles Defeat Egypt, Bags Bronze Medal As AFCON 2025 Grounds to a Halt

Published

2 weeks ago

January 19, 2026

Eric

The Super Eagles of Nigeria defeated Egypt 4-2 on penalties to win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 third-place playoff on Saturday.

Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali proved the hero of the night with two crucial saves during the shootout, including one from Egyptian star Mohamed Salah.

Ademola Lookman then calmly converted the decisive penalty to secure the bronze medal —Nigeria’s ninth third-place finish in AFCON history.

The match itself was a tight, physical affair, high on running but low on clear chances.

Nigeria thought they had taken the lead just before halftime when Paul Onuachu turned in an effort from Akor Adams, but the goal was disallowed following a VAR review.

With neither side able to break the deadlock in a cagey second half, the game ended 0-0, sending the contest directly to penalties.

Despite Fisayo Dele-Bashiru missing Nigeria’s first kick, Nwabali’s immediate saved from Egypt’s first two attempts shifted the momentum.

Nigeria’s subsequent takers were flawless, allowing Lookman to seal the victory and preserve Nigeria’s perfect record in AFCON third-place matches.

Senegal on Sunday, defeated host Morocco by a lone goal after a pulsating, tension and crisis-ridden game, to emerge 2025 AFCON Champions.

Sports

CAF Acknowledges Akor Adams’ Goal Tribute to DR Congo Superfan

Published

3 weeks ago

January 11, 2026

Eric

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has publicly acknowledged Super Eagles striker Akor Adams following his goal celebration in Nigeria’s 2-0 quarter-final win over Algeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Adams scored Nigeria’s second goal against the Desert Foxes, making amends for earlier missed chances and helping the Super Eagles secure a place in the semifinals.

However, it was his celebration, rather than the finish itself, that drew widespread attention across the continent.

Tribute to DR Congo superfan

After finding the net, the Sevilla forward marked the moment with a gesture inspired by DR Congo superfan Mboladinga ‘Lumumba’.

The Congolese supporter has become a familiar figure at the tournament for standing throughout all DR Congo matches as a tribute to the legacy of former prime minister Patrice Lumumba.

Adams’ celebration mirrored Mboladinga’s stance, a move widely interpreted as a sign of respect and solidarity beyond national lines. The moment resonated with fans and officials alike, quickly gaining traction on social media.

CAF Reaction and fan response

CAF highlighted the gesture on its official X account, sharing an image of Adams’ celebration alongside a brief but pointed message. “Standing still. Akor.,” the continental body wrote.

The post prompted a wave of reactions from football fans across Africa. A user identified as @MrChirenga commented, “Love the fact that Africans are becoming more and more united fam … Love from Zimbabwe.”

Another fan, @abuagoody, praised Adams’ qualities, writing, “Such an impressive player. The last players that played like him for Nigeria are John Utaka, Brown Ideye and Uche.”

Others focused on Adams’ technical ability, with @MouxCaa adding, “Akor Adams is a type of player you see touching the ball and you automatically know it’s a professional footballer.”