League Cup/Chelsea v Everton:David Moyes's plans for tonight's semi-final, first leg were thrown into disarray after Fifa ordered Everton not to play the South African international Steven Pienaar at Stamford Bridge.

Pienaar had been due to join his international team-mates on Sunday to prepare for the African Cup of Nations in Ghana but South African Football Association officials learned that the 25-year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder, who is on loan at Goodison Park, was still with Everton and moreover that he was on the club's coach heading for London and that Moyes intended to play him against Chelsea.

The South African FA contacted Fifa yesterday and when the world governing body told Everton that its rule requiring players to be released for national duty 14 days before major tournaments related to the start date of such tournaments, not to their team's first game, the club appeared to back down. "Steven is going to London but not to Stamford Bridge," a club spokesman said last night. "He will be flying out from Heathrow. We have been contacted by Fifa and told he has to be released by us ahead of the Chelsea match."

Earlier Moyes had insisted he had every right to hang on to the former Ajax player because South Africa's first match is not for another 15 days, against Angola on Wednesday, January 23rd, even though the tournament starts on January 20. "We have looked carefully at the rule and it is not clear whether the 14 days applies to the first match for South Africa or the opening date of the competition," the manager said. "We believe that 14 days should apply to South Africa's first match.

"I have spoken to the South Africa manager, Carlos Alberto Parreira, and he is clearly not pleased. But we have invoked the 14-day rule and intend to use Pienaar against Chelsea. That means he can then join up with South Africa within the 14 days. I have to fight for what's best for Everton Football Club. We pay the players' wages and believe we are within our rights to keep him here to play against Chelsea in the first leg."

South African officials insisted Everton had no right to play Pienaar against Chelsea. "I'm sure [ he] would like to play in an important game against Chelsea, but South Africa have a very important tournament to prepare for," said Morio Sanyane, South Africa's director of communications. "It's a very frustrating period for our coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira. Steven is the only player who has not arrived yet."