The Nigerian Super Eagles currently trail South Africa‘s Bafana Bafana by three points, following a recent deduction that reduced South Africa’s tally from 17 to 14 points.
Samuel Sodje, a former Nigerian international, has voiced his disappointment over the reaction of Nigerian football supporters to FIFA‘s recent penalty against South Africa, as reported exclusively by Soccernet.ng.
FIFA imposed sanctions on South Africa’s national team after it was discovered that they fielded an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, during their match against Lesotho.
Following an extensive inquiry, the global football authority stripped South Africa of three points from their initial 17 and reversed their goal difference from +2 to -3.
FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee has confirmed a three-point deduction for South Africa in the ongoing qualifiers and imposed a CHF 10,000 fine.#2026WCQ #BafanaBafana #TebohoMokoena #Lesotho pic.twitter.com/WZP7Dku5XB
– Soccernet.ng (@soccernet_ng) September 29, 2025
This ruling has sparked celebrations among some Nigerian fans, who are hopeful that the Super Eagles, currently third in their group with 11 points, can capitalize on this development to close the gap on South Africa.
Samuel Sodje’s Perspective on South Africa’s Point Deduction
Speaking exclusively to Soccernet.ng, former Brentford defender Samuel Sodje expressed that the excitement among Nigerian fans over South Africa’s penalty is misplaced and somewhat humiliating for the Super Eagles.
“It’s commendable that FIFA enforces the rules and penalizes South Africa for their breach. Deducting three points is justified. However, what surprises me is the way Nigerians are treating this as a major victory. Frankly, it’s quite embarrassing,” Sodje remarked.
Copyright: imago Panoramic.
Sodje emphasized that depending on administrative penalties to improve Nigeria’s World Cup qualification chances reflects poorly on the nation’s football stature.
“We’ve put ourselves in a position where we rely on South Africa losing points to advance. If we believe we have a shot-though I’m skeptical-any chance we have should be earned on the field. Nigeria, with its vast talent pool and rich football heritage, shouldn’t be celebrating because another team was penalized,” he added.
He concluded with a word of advice for the Super Eagles:
“So yes, it’s embarrassing. Hopefully, this serves as a lesson, and moving forward, we can avoid situations where we depend on others’ misfortunes to progress.”
Group C: A Tight Race for World Cup Qualification
Despite South Africa’s three-point penalty, the competition in Group C remains fierce. Nigeria, South Africa, Benin, Rwanda, and Lesotho are all vying for qualification, with only two fixtures remaining.
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While the Super Eagles stand to gain from South Africa’s sanction, their fate ultimately hinges on their performance in the remaining matches. Coach Eric Chelle‘s squad must capitalize on every opportunity to secure their place in the World Cup.