Rohr, Benin Pressure CAF and FIFA Over South Africa’s 3 Points Deduction After Beating Lesotho
- Benin Republic made a statement with a resounding 4-0 victory over Lesotho in the World Cup qualifier
- The West Africans move closer to Group C leaders South Africa, ahead of the final two matches next month
- Head coach Gernot Rohr has sent a strong message to FIFA to act on South Africa’s possible deduction
Gernot Rohr and Benin Republic have put pressure on CAF and FIFA after the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier Group C match day eight.
Benin Republic made a statement with a 4-0 thrashing of Lesotho to move up to second on Group C, three points behind leaders South Africa.
Source: Getty Images
According to CAF Online, the Leopards have 14 points to sit in second place, three points above Super Eagles, who have 11 points after their 1-1 draw against Bafana Bafana.
Benin's victory changed the landscape of the group heading into the final two games, with the West Africans dreaming of their first World Cup appearance, as noted by This Day.
Benin will benefit from FIFA imposing a three-point deduction on South Africa, as it will bring them level on points with two matches to go.
Gernot Rohr’s side will have a chance to secure the automatic ticket or qualify for the playoff as they have a chance to finish with 20 points.
Benin fans send message to CAF
CAF congratulated Benin Republic on their victory, and a top fan account responded, calling on the body to give a fair review of the incident with South Africa.
“Thank you @CAF_Online for congratulating us on our victory! We kindly request a fair review: please reconsider the 3-point deduction against South Africa and respect suspension rules. Let the spirit of the game decide qualification. ⚽👊🏾,” the post reads.
The post divided opinions, with Beninoise cheering it on, while South Africans made fun of the post.
Gernot Rohr put pressure on FIFA
Benin Republic head coach Gernot Rohr slammed FIFA and CAF before their match against Zimbabwe over their delay in settling the incident.
The former Super Eagles head coach reiterated his thoughts after the match against Lesotho, claiming his side is level on points with Bafana Bafana.
"If all goes well, we’re level on points with South Africa, who should lose three points according to the regulations because of that player who wasn’t eligible to play,” he said at his post-match conference.
“So, I don’t understand why FIFA hasn’t made a decision yet, but it’s very clear. The rules are very clear on this. At that point, we’ll be tied with South Africa, and anything is still possible.”
Source: Getty Images
The Franco-German manager is already looking ahead to the matches in October against Rwanda and Nigeria.
“Our last two matches? Anything is still possible. You know that with 14 points, we not only have the chance of finishing first in the group, but we can also finish among the best runners-up. So we absolutely must continue on this path,” he added.
Eric Chelle reacts to South Africa’s delayed punishment
Legit.ng reported that Eric Chelle reacted to the possible three points South Africa could lose for fielding the ineligible Teboho Mokoena against Lesotho.
Super Eagles head coach refused to be drawn into the scandal, but was instead focused on coaching his players to face South Africa in Bloemfontein.
Source: Legit.ng
