The Bafana Bafana Thread

[cr@zydude]

There could still be some hope:

FIFA can confirm that disciplinary proceedings have been opened
against three member associations for each having allegedly
fielded an ineligible player in the preliminary competition for the
2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™.
The Ethiopian Football Association allegedly fielded an ineligible
player in the match between Botswana and Ethiopia on 8 June
2013.
The Togolese Football Federation allegedly fielded an ineligible in
the match between Togo and Cameroon on 9 June 2013.
Disciplinary proceedings were also opened against the Equatorial
Guinea Football Federation for having allegedly fielded an
ineligible player in the match between Equatorial Guinea and
Cape Verde Islands on 24 March 2013, and a decision was
recently passed by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on this
matter.
The EQG appealed against the decision to the FIFA Appeal
Committee, and the appeal proceedings are on-going.
The disciplinary proceedings against the three associations relate
to article 55 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and article 8 of the
Regulations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.

FIFA

Kickoff is reporting that Minyahile Beyene is the ineligible player.He played against Botswana, which Ethiopia won 2-1. Going by FIFA's previous cases, Botswana should be handed a 3-0 win. That would put Ethiopia on 10, SA on 8 and Botswana on 7, going into the last round.


More interesting is the fact that Soccer Laduma is reporting that Menyahel Teshome is the ineligible player.

He had 2 yellow cards before the match against Botswana, and thus should not have played. The same player played against SA yesterday. I don't know whether FIFA would penalise Ethiopia twice for the same player or not. If they did, then SA would go top with 11, and Botswana and Ethiopia would each have 7, which would send us through to the next round of qualifiers.

Reading through the match reports on FIFA.com, I think that Kickoff have it right, and not Soccer Laduma.

 

[lilggg]

Assuming they do get docked, assumign we do beat botswana, assuming ethiopia draw against CAR , we would then be tied on points, do we go through on better goal difference or is it head to head?

 

[akescpt]

Assuming they do get docked, assumign we do beat botswana, assuming ethiopia draw against CAR , we would then be tied on points, do we go through on better goal difference or is it head to head?

That's slot of A$$ umptions

 

[Thamza]

I hope he stays, the team has definately improved since he started.

My thought too.

 

[Polymathic]

How the Fuk did we get so damn useless that we can't even win this pathetic group that we were in???????!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[nfbs]

When I saw the qualifying group I really thought South Africa would qualify as this was the easiest draw we have ever had.

We don't deserve to be at the World Cup if a team like Ethiopia qualifies ahead of us it

 

[Redeemed]

Bafana won't go through via the boardroom, I can't see Ethiopia failing to beat CAR in a crucial last game. CAR is the weakest team in the group.

 

[cr@zydude]

Assuming they do get docked, assumign we do beat botswana, assuming ethiopia draw against CAR , we would then be tied on points, do we go through on better goal difference or is it head to head?

It's goal difference. FIFA uses goal difference for the WC, and CAF uses head to head for the AFCON.

 

[thestaggy]

When I saw the qualifying group I really thought South Africa would qualify as this was the easiest draw we have ever had.

We don't deserve to be at the World Cup if a team like Ethiopia qualifies ahead of us it

To be fair, Ethiopia have not been bad for the past few years. They're incredibly difficult to beat at home, going unbeaten in 13 games now and we scored the only goal against them in Addis Ababa throughout the qualifying campaign. On the otherhand, we have been poor for some years now. Under Igesund we have shown signs of improvement, but on the whole we have been rubbish for some time.

Our Achilles' heel for years now has been our away form. Our win in Cameroon over the CAR was our first away win in a World Cup qualifier for 8-years.

 

[thestaggy]

We had the opportunities to win that match. Too many wasted one-on-ones and atrocious heading - up until Parker's wonder own goal. On three occassions we beat the Ethiopians to the ball in an attacking corner but our players can't head a ball to save their lives.

The long ball tactics were also irritating me. Kept on pumping it when it was obvious that whenever we did try and pass it we were finding holes in their defence.

The one positive - watching Dean Furman clatter into a few players. Wasn't his greatest game but I enjoyed his vicious tackling. And fair play to the Ethiopians for not crying and feigning injury under his tackles. Well, at least until they went 2-1 up and wanted to waste time.

 

[R13...]

So Ethiopia admit to fielding an ineligible player, so they'll be docked 3 points. Not that it'll help us.

 

[cr@zydude]

We are still alive in the qualifiers. Unfortunately our fate is no longer in our own hands, but there is still a lot to play for.

 

[thestaggy]

Well, well, well, chances are that Ethiopia may lose more points for fielding the same player against us.

http://www.sportlive.co.za/soccer/sa/2013/06/19/bafana-on-the-brink-as-ethiopia-may-lose-more-points

Fifa is already investigating the eligibility of midfielder Minyahile Beyene for the 2-1 victory in Botswana on June 8. Ethiopia have admitted that the player should have been suspended for the fixture, having picked up two yellow cards in the qualification campaign.

It seems highly likely that Ethiopia's error in fielding him will cost them the points from the match against The Zebras.

But The Times has been told that, having fielded the same player against South Africa in the 2-1 win on Sunday, and since he is yet to officially serve his one-match suspension, Ethiopia should lose those three points too.

Former National Soccer League referee Colin Knott, a leading whistleman in the 1980s, believes this to be the case and says that, if Fifa doesn't take action, Safa should launch a complaint.

"By fielding the player [Beyene], Ethiopia are still in violation of the rules as he has not yet served his suspension. On that basis, the points from the game should go to South Africa," Knott says.

Shady way to get in but screw it, I'll take it.

 

[R13...]

Well, well, well, chances are that Ethiopia may lose more points for fielding the same player against us.

http://www.sportlive.co.za/soccer/sa/2013/06/19/bafana-on-the-brink-as-ethiopia-may-lose-more-points



Shady way to get in but screw it, I'll take it.

Well being docked 3 points for the Botswana would be for fielding the player and therefore making it so the suspension is served?

 

[SinghDude]

Pathetic looking at a back door to a WC.


What next ? Danny Jordaan and Safa paying more bribes to FIFA to get to Brazil ?

 

[R13...]

Pathetic looking at a back door to a WC.


What next ? Danny Jordaan and Safa paying more bribes to FIFA to get to Brazil ?

It's not our fault that Ethiopia's officials can't count past one. Besides even if we get awarded a win for that game too we'd still have to win the next round.

 

[thestaggy]

Well being docked 3 points for the Botswana would be for fielding the player and therefore making it so the suspension is served?

Not certain, but as the rules clearly only punish the team I'd assume that the player still has to serve his suspension at some point. The match still counts - albeit that a 2-1 win becomes a 3-0 defeat - so it will still count as a cap for the player, meaning he must still ultimately sit a match out.

55. Ineligibility
1. If a player takes part in an official match despite being ineligible, his team
will be sanctioned by forfeiting the match (cf. art. 31) and paying a minimum
fine of CHF 6,000.

 

[thestaggy]

Pathetic looking at a back door to a WC.


What next ? Danny Jordaan and Safa paying more bribes to FIFA to get to Brazil ?

Look, it is hardly a positive way to qualify - should it happen -, but, they're the ones that violated a FIFA rule/law on player selections. Nations and clubs have been docked points in the past for similar offences. FIFA confirmed the Swiss FA docking FC Sion 36-points in 2011 for fielding ineligble players.

It's not our fault that Ethiopia's officials can't count past one. Besides even if we get awarded a win for that game too we'd still have to win the next round.

- If FIFA only dock them 3-points for the Botswana game we'll need a win and an Ethiopian loss in the final round.
- If FIFA dock them 3-points for the Botswana and SA game, we'll be through, regardless of what happens in the final round of games. We'll have 11 points to their 7 with only 3 points available.

 

[Redeemed]

Well, well, well, chances are that Ethiopia may lose more points for fielding the same player against us.

http://www.sportlive.co.za/soccer/sa/2013/06/19/bafana-on-the-brink-as-ethiopia-may-lose-more-points



Shady way to get in but screw it, I'll take it.

That's a South African former referee's view not FIFA's.

 

[cr@zydude]

I think that Ethiopia will be docked 3 points, and as much as I would like them to lose 6, I don't know if there is a precedent for it. If they had been warned between matches, I could see it happening, but the news only broke after the Bafana match. I think that the fact that the matches were a little over a week apart may help Ethiopia.