Zimbabwe midfielder shares what Wolves teammate Arokodare did after South Africa's punishment

Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Marshall Munetsi has revealed that his club teammate, Tolu Arokodare, persistently teased him about Zimbabwe's World Cup qualifier against South Africa following Fifa's decision to dock Bafana Bafana three points, a development that threw Group C of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers wide open.

South Africa were sanctioned by Fifa for breaching Article 19 of the Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the 2026 World Cup Qualifying Regulations. 

The punishment stemmed from Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Teboho Mokoena's ineligibility for the March 21 match against Lesotho due to accumulated yellow cards, leading to a three-point deduction and a fine.

Although Zimbabwe are already eliminated from qualification contention, Arokodare urged Munetsi to approach the clash against South Africa with full seriousness, aware that the outcome could have major implications for Nigeria's qualification hopes.

Despite being reduced to ten men for over 30 minutes, the Warriors displayed remarkable determination and almost claimed a shock victory when Jordan Zemura's stoppage-time effort struck the woodwork, with Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Ronwen Williams well beaten.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Munetsi explained that Arokodare had been pressuring him about the fixture as soon as the points deduction was announced. 

He said his Nigerian teammate had been 'on his case' during training sessions, reminding him of the group's new dynamics after South Africa's punishment.

Munetsi added that the situation had brought excitement to African football, noting that everyone was closely following how the group would unfold. 

He observed that South Africa had made significant progress since the last Africa Cup of Nations and deserved credit for their consistency.

The Zimbabwe international further stated that his team were simply enjoying their football and using the qualifiers as preparation for the upcoming AFCON, adding that the real pressure lay with the teams still fighting for qualification. 

He expressed curiosity about how the final round of matches would play out.

Heading into the decisive matchday on Tuesday, October 14, Benin sit top of Group C with 17 points, two ahead of South Africa in second and three clear of Nigeria, who will host the Cheetahs in Uyo in what promises to be a defining fixture.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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