Zimbabwe national team head coach Michael Nees has aimed a dig at South Africa after FIFA hit their COSAFA neighbours with a point deduction.

Bafana Bafana appeared to have gotten away with a punishment after fielding the ineligible Teboho Mokoena during their 2-0 win over Lesotho on matchday five.

According to FIFA’s rulebook, the organisation acted ex officio and opened an investigation against SAFA and Mokoena and hit the team with a three-point deduction and a CHF 10,000 fine, equivalent to ₦18.4 million.

The sanction has shaken up the group heading into the final matchdays, with Benin Republic now top of Group C with 14 points, the same as South Africa.

Bafana Bafana dropped to second place on goal difference, with Nigeria occupying the third place with 11 points, ahead of Rwanda, which has the same points but an inferior goal difference.

Lesotho, who are fifth with nine points after receiving the three points deducted from South Africa and Zimbabwe, who are bottom of the group, are out of the race.

Michael Nees aims dig at South Africa

Zimbabwe head coach Michael Nees announced his squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier matches against COSAFA neighbours Lesotho and South Africa.

According to ZIFA, the German admitted that even though the Warriors’ World Cup dream is over, they will take the matches with urgency and as preparation for AFCON 2025.

Nees, during his press conference to announce the squad, reacted to South Africa’s points deduction, aiming a cheeky shot at their opponent on the final day.

“Let me look if there are no yellow cards, let me check two to three times, double-check because you never know, looks good, if I'm not mistaken, we have no yellow cards,” he said in a video shared on X by Austin Ditlhobolo.

"Let me look if there are no yellow cards, you never know" - Zimbabwe coach Michael Nees mocks #SAFA & #BafanaBafana

The Warriors of Zimbabwe will host South Africa in Durban in a crucial #WorldCupQualifier on October 10.

🎥Libertino pic.twitter.com/FrwUZ5YKSi

— Austin Ditlhobolo (@A_B_Ditlhobolo) October 3, 2025

South Africans were not pleased with the light-hearted joke and fired back at Zimbabwe for hosting their home games in their stadium after FIFA failed to approve any of theirs.