Hugo Broos Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos was reluctant to address the Teboho Mokoena situation after the Fifa World Cup qualifier against Benin. Photo: Backpagepix
Image: Backpagepix
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has refused to entertain questions surrounding Teboho Mokoena’s yellow-card controversy, which continues to stir up debate in South Africa’s Fifa World Cup qualifying campaign.
On Tuesday night, South Africa’s 2-0 win over Benin at the Stade Félix Houphouët Boigny in Ivory Coast marked another crucial step toward qualification for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The victory saw Bafana maintain their lead at the top of Group C with 13 points, five clear of second-placed Rwanda, who are tied on eight points with Benin.
However, it wasn’t just the result that had tongues wagging.
Mokoena, who was expected to feature, was notably absent from the match-day squad, amid reports about a potential yellow-card scandal.
The Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder was booked in Bafana’s opening match against Benin in 2023, and again in the fourth qualifier against Zimbabwe last year.
According to FIFA’s Rule 63, that should have resulted in an automatic one-match suspension, which was overlooked in their recent 2-0 win over Lesotho.
With all eyes on Broos, many expected the Belgian tactician to provide clarity on Mokoena’s situation.
Instead, he remained tight-lipped, offering little more than a brief dismissal of the topic.
“Let me assure you that I will not say anything about the subject, but we’ll see,” Broos said after the win in Ivory Coast.
According to reports, the controversy has now prompted the Lesotho Football Association to file a formal complaint with Fifa, which could result in South Africa losing three points from their win over Lesotho.
If that happens, the points would be awarded to the mountain kingdom, escalating the drama surrounding Mokoena’s yellow-card predicament.