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| June 4, 2002 | Tuesday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 22,1423 |
Midfielder flies home after family tragedy
PUSAN (South Korea), June 3: South Africa midfielder Benni Mnguni has returned home from the World Cup after the death of his brother, a team spokesman said on Monday.
Mnguni left the team’s headquarters in Pusan on Monday afternoon to return to his family’s home in Cullinan, Pretoria.
“We are very sad for Benni and his family and pass on our condolences,” the spokesman told Reuters.
“Benni is an integral part of our squad and we will leave his place open should he wish to return to Korea after his brother’s burial.”
The 28-year-old Mnguni, who plays his club football in Russia with Lokomotiv Moscow, was an unused substitute on Sunday when South Africa drew their opening group B game 2-2 with Paraguay.
South Africa’s first goal in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Paraguay group B has been awarded to Tebeho Mokoena after originally being given as an own goal, world soccer’s governing body FIFA said on Monday.
Mokoena’s shot in the 63rd minute took a deflection off Estanislao Struway and was originally given as an own goal by the Paraguay midfielder.
Nigeria have been asked to highlight the numbers and names on the back of their shirts because they were difficult to see in Sunday’s 1-0 defeat by Argentina at the World Cup.
World governing body FIFA said on Monday that broadcasters had commented on the contrast problems between the white numbers and Nigeria’s light green shirts in the first-round group F game.—Reuters
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