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South Africa plans appeal over World Cup qualifying win stripped for ineligible player
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FILE - South Africa Relebohile Mofokeng, front left, challenges Lesotho Lehlohonolo Matsau, front right, during the World Cup qualifying match between South Africa and Lesotho, in Polokwane, South Africa, Friday, March 21, 2025. - photo by AP Photo, File
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The South African Football Association said it plans to appeal a FIFA ruling that stripped the men’s national team of a win in 2026 World Cup qualifying over fielding an ineligible player. The FIFA judgment on Monday to overturn a 2-0 win against Lesotho in March as a 3-0 loss by default knocked South Africa off top spot with two rounds left in a qualifying group that ends in two weeks. SAFA did not have the chance to make legal arguments to the single FIFA judge who decided the case, it claimed in a statement late Monday.