Irritated Bafana coach Broos dismisses Lesotho’s protest threat as nonsense

A visibly peeved Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has shot down Lesotho’s threat they will play their crucial Fifa World Cup qualifier at Free State Stadium on Friday (6pm) under protest as nonsense. 

Lesotho Football Association secretary-general Mokhosi Mohapi reiterated on Thursday they will lodge a protest if key Bafana midfielder Teboho Mokoena is in the match-day squad. 

“I am not used to commenting or reacting to nonsense and I will not do it here today, thank you,” said Broos before his players trained at the match venue to put the final touches to their preparations.

Mohapi said the Lesotho FA believes Mokoena, who was fielded in their last game against Bafana — a 2-0 win to South Africa in Polokwane in March — when he should have been serving a suspension, should not play against them on Friday.

This is despite Mokoena having served that one-match suspension belatedly when he sat out the match after Bafana's win against Lesotho, their 2-0 away victory against Benin played in Ivory Coast days later. The matter is also still under Fifa’s review so Bafana remain in danger of a three-point deduction. 

“Fifa has a set of rules and we all have to abide by those rules. Even if it means we must remind someone to do so, we will do so,” Mohapi said. “He never sat out any match, he was supposed to sit out our match and he never did. Even the Benin match was just a caution and not really serving the suspension because if they pick and choose where they want to serve [the suspension] then this football thing will be in disarray. 

“Even South Africans want to feel proud they won the qualifier stages fairly and they did not come in through the back door. I want South Africa to beat us fairly, not to get the protection of Fifa to move from the regulations that are binding us. Let him sit it out now.”

Broos said Bafana have to take all three points against Lesotho to put more pressure on battling group heavyweights Nigeria, who South Africa meet at Free State Stadium on Tuesday (also 6pm). Fourth-placed Nigeria meet second-placed Rwanda in Uyo on Saturday.

“We all know that with a little bit of luck the next two games can be the final stage of World Cup qualification. From our side, we are motivated to play against Lesotho and we will try to win the match. 

“We know Lesotho is always a tough opponent and we will try to get the three points on offer because it is important we do that to put pressure on other opponents. 

“Nigeria are playing on Saturday, that means we have to take this opportunity with both hands.”

Bafana have 13 points in Group C, Rwanda and Benin have eight, Nigeria seven, Lesotho six and Zimbabwe four.