Exclusive: Former Brentford Defender Blasts Nigerian Reaction to Bafana Bafana’s Point Deduction as “Embarrassing

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 openly criticized the exuberant response from Nigerian football supporters regarding 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, FIFA stripped South Africa of three points from their initial 17 and adjusted their goal difference from +2 to -3.

FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee has confirmed a threenigeria/” title=”Mokoena yellow card saga: What you should know before … face …”>-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 this development could revive the Super Eagles’ World Cup qualifying campaign. Currently, Nigeria sits third in Group C with 11 points, trailing South Africa by three points.

Samuel Sodje’s Perspective on South Africa’s Point Deduction

Speaking exclusively to Soccernet.ng, former Brentford defender Samuel Sodje expressed disappointment over the Nigerian fans’ reaction, labeling it as “embarrassing.”

“It’s good to see FIFA enforcing the rules. South Africa violated regulations, so the three-point deduction is justified. However, what surprises me is how Nigerians are treating this as a major victory. Frankly, it’s quite embarrassing,” Sodje remarked.

Sodje emphasized that relying on administrative penalties to advance Nigeria’s World Cup qualification hopes undermines the nation’s footballing stature.

“We’ve put ourselves in a position where we depend on South Africa losing points to have a shot at qualifying. If we truly believe we have a chance-which I doubt-then it should be earned on the field. Nigeria, with its vast talent pool and rich football heritage, shouldn’t be celebrating another team’s misfortune to boost our chances,” he added.

He concluded with a word of caution for the Super Eagles:

“So yes, to answer your question, it’s embarrassing. Hopefully, this serves as a lesson, and moving forward, we can avoid situations where we rely on other teams’ penalties to progress.”

Group C Remains a Fierce Battle for World Cup Qualification

Despite South Africa’s point deduction, the competition in Group C remains intense. Nigeria, South Africa, Benin, Rwanda, and Lesotho are all vying for qualification, with only two fixtures left to decide the group’s fate.

While the Super Eagles stand to gain from South Africa’s penalty, their ultimate success hinges on their performance in the remaining matches. Coach Eric Chelle’s squad must capitalize on every opportunity to secure qualification on merit.