Barely two weeks to the Qatar 2022 World Cup playoffs between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Black Stars of Ghana, the world football governing body, (FIFA) has made changes to the list of officials earlier appointed for the game.
Recall that FIFA had last week released the name of officials that will handle the playoff across the continent alongside Video Assistant Referees (VAR).
For the first leg of the game billed for Ghana on March 25, the new appointment letter sent to NFF indicated that Morocco’s Redouane Jiyed will retain his position as the center referee and will be assisted by his compatriots Lahsen Azgaou Assistant Referee 1; Mostafa Akarkad, Assistant Referee 2 and Samir Guezzaz, as the fourth official.
On security, Mandu Humphrey of Uganda will now replace South Africa’s David Junse Van Vuuren while the Netherlands duo of Bernie Raymond Blom and Rob Dieperink will be in charge of VAR.
While Athanse Nkubuto of Rwanda will be serving as match Assessor, Gregorio Badupa of Guinea Bissau will work as match commissioner and Victor Lawrence Lual from South Sudan will oversee the coordination of the game.
For the return leg in Abuja, Senegalese Badara Diatta has been appointed to replace Essam Abdelfattah as referee assessor.
Other officials retained for the second leg on March 29 are Tunisia’s Sadoki Selmi as Referee, his compatriot, Khalil Hassani as assistant referee 1; Libya’s Attia Amsaaed as assistant referee 2 and Haythem Guirat, another Tunisian being the fourth official.
Frenchmen Jérôme Brisard and Willy Louis Delajod will be in charge of VAR while Prince Kai Saquee, a Sierra Leonean will stand tall as match commissioner and South Africa’s Kabelo Bosilong being the general coordinator of the game.
A match that has generated a lot of momentum will see the two West African countries renewing their 71-year old rivalry.