Algeria, Egypt and Morocco edge closer to World Cup as South Africa face losing points

JOHANNESBURG : - Algeria, Egypt and Morocco all moved closer to World Cup qualification with home success on Tuesday but South Africa face being docked points after fielding an ineligible player.

South Africa opened up a five-point lead at the top of Group C of the African qualifiers after a 2-0 away win over Benin, while their closest rivals slipped up.

But their victory came only hours after media revelations they could lose the points from last Friday’s home win over Lesotho because they fielded Teboho Mokoena when he should have been suspended after collecting two cautions in earlier qualifying matches.

Midfielder Mokoena was withdrawn from the South Africa side for Tuesday’s victory over Benin in Abidjan amid a stony silence from officials.

“I’m not commenting on the matter, it is something that will be sorted over the next week,” said South Africa coach Hugo Broos.

Previous African qualifying campaigns have seen countries who fielded an ineligible player docked the points from the match.

But with Nigeria giving up a last-gasp equaliser at home to Zimbabwe on Tuesday, South Africa have some wiggle room at the head of their group.

Nigeria led through Victor Osimhen’s 74th-minute diving header in Uyo but English-born substitute Tawanda Chirewa dribbled through the home defence to score a stoppage-time goal that gave plucky Zimbabwe a 1-1 draw.

Nigeria trail South Africa by six points with four matches to play with Benin and Rwanda five behind the leaders. Rwanda were held 1-1 at home by Lesotho on Tuesday.

AMOURA HAT-TRICK

Mohamed Amoura scored a hat-trick as Algeria thrashed their closest rivals Mozambique 5-1 in a key Group G clash in Tizi Ouzou and opened up a three-point lead.

Ahmed Zizo’s goal on the stroke of halftime