World football –ruling body, FIFA, has released appointments of officials for the Matchdays 3 and 4 of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying race (Africa series), with Egyptian top official Ghead Grisha and respected Gambian Papa Gassama to take charge of the two potentially –explosive encounters between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.
Grisha, full name Ghead Zaghloul Ibrahim Selim Grisha, has been designated to be at the centre for the big clash between the reigning African champions and the three –time African champions in Uyo on Friday, 1st September 2017, to be assisted by Redouane Achik (Moroccan, Assistant Referee 1), Waleed Ahmed Ali (Sudanese, Assistant Referee 2) and Mahmoud Zakaria Mohamed (Egyptian, Fourth Official).
Former FIFA referee Felix Onias Tangawarima from Zimbabwe has been assigned as Referee Assessor, with Congolese Jean Médard Kossa as Match Commissioner. The match will start at 5pm Nigeria time at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.
For the return leg scheduled for the Stade Omnisports, Yaounde on Monday, 4th September 2017, Papa Bakary Gassama will be at the centre, to be assisted by Jean Claude Birumushahu (Burundian, Assistant Referee 1), Aden Marwa Range (Kenyan, Assistant Referee 2) and Maudo Jallo (Gambian, Fourth Official).
Jerome Kelvyn Damon, a former FIFA referee from South Africa, will be Referee Assessor, while Sudanese Osama Ataaelmanan Hassan will be Match Commissioner. The match starts at 6pm Cameroon time.
Grisha, 41, and who has been an international referee since 2008, also took charge of Nigeria’s Matchday 1 encounter against Zambia in Ndola, which the Super Eagles won 2-1. Gassama, 38, was at the centre when the Super Eagles thrashed the Fennecs of Algeria 3-1 in Uyo on Matchday 2.
In other appointments, FIFA has named Nigerian top arbiter Ferdinand Anietie Udoh to take charge of the Matchday 4 clash between South Africa and Cape Verde, taking place at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Tuesday, 5th September.
Udoh will be assisted by compatriot Abel Baba (Assistant Referee 1), Soulaimane Amaldine (Comoros, Assistant Referee 2) and Ali Mohamed Adelaid (Comoros, Fourth Official).
On the same day, Mr. Linus Mba, a former FIFA referee will serve as Referee Assessor for the Matchday 4 clash between Congo’s Red Devils and the Black Stars of Ghana in Brazzaville. Morocco’s Rédouane Jiyed will be the referee.
Green: We will approach the matches with all seriousness
Chairman of the NFF Technical and Development Committee, Barrister Chris Green has assured that all arrangements and preparation for next month’s crucial 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Cameroon will be accorded high level of seriousness.
“Everyone involved in one arrangement or the other with regards to the matches, including the technical crew, are working in tandem. We are approaching these matches with the seriousness it deserves.
“The Cameroonians are the reigning champions of Africa; we respect them for that but that is where it ends. We have no reason to fear them. A few years ago, we were also the champions of Africa. We are in one accord with the players and the technical bench to achieve victory in both matches.”
Green admitted on Tuesday that last month’s acute leukaemia diagnosis and on –going treatment of first choice goalkeeper Carl Ikeme slightly jolted the Nigeria camp, but reiterated that the technical crew is on the right curve to have a capable and confident first choice and deputy on show for the two matches.
“When Ikeme’s matter came up, we quickly moved to put heads together to salvage the situation. We will give him all the support to go through the treatment and come back strongly, but in the meantime, we have to come up with a couple of guys who can always rise to the occasion.
“That is why we have a new goalkeeper trainer to work with our own man, Alloy Agu, to see how to make world –class safe hands out of the goalkeepers in camp now in Kano for the African Nations Championship qualifying matches against Benin Republic.”
Meanwhile, players released by Coach Salisu Yusuf to play Matchday 32 games for their Nigeria Professional Football League clubs have returned to the camp in Kano, ahead of next week’s trip to Cotonou.
Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr has arrived the camp with 62 –year old Italian, Enrico Pionetti who will work with Alloy Agu to build the confidence of the goal –tenders.
Integrity: NFF goes tough on defaulters, warns officials’ appointment committees
The Nigeria Football Federation on Tuesday called on the Football Associations in the 36 States and the FCT to forward to it names of persons in their jurisdiction who are still defiantly wearing multiple hats in Nigerian Football.
“All affiliates of the Nigeria Football Federation and indeed all Football Stakeholders are advised to submit the list of officials that have failed to comply with the directive of the NFF to relinquish one position out of the two or more positions occupied that portends a clear conflict of interest in the discharge of their duties,” read the circular, signed by NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi.
The circular stated further: “In view of the fact that the NFF has completed the process of accepting the submission of acknowledged copies and prove of resignation letters from all those that have since complied to the directive of the Federation, the NFF is now prepared to fully bring to book all defaulters in this regard.”
The circular gave the names of football officials who have complied with the NFF directives as Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi, Alhaji Bature Sale, Usman Haruna Ilerika, Godwin Bamigboye, Anguwan Sumali Kwali and J. O. Olayemi.
The charge to the officials’ appointment committees went thus: “The NFF wishes to advise all match officials’ appointment committees (Referees Appointment Committee and Match Commissioners Appointment Committee) at all levels to ensure that any official that is appointed for a match is not removed, changed, replaced or substituted except by the Committee that has so appointed the said official.
“Any Committee member that is found to have unilaterally removed, changed, replaced or substituted any appointed official shall be charged before the Ethics Committee of the NFF accordingly. All members of the various appointment committees at all levels are to report such actions to the NFF Integrity Unit immediately.”
2017 AITEO CUP NATIONAL PRELIMINARIES (02-08-2017)
Minda FC (Benue) Vs Tornadoes Feeders (Niger) – Jos
Moyero FC (Ondo) Vs Fashmog FC (Ekiti) – Ibadan
Young Talent (Sokoto) Vs Haifa FC (Jigawa) – Kaduna
Ayade Babes (Cross River) Vs Lexington FC (Taraba) – Lokoja
Kaka FC (Kaduna) Vs Potiskum Academy (Yobe) – Bauchi
FC Galadima (Kebbi) Vs Jarma FC (Zamfara) – Sokoto
Sam Daddy FC (Imo) Vs Coal City FC (Enugu) – Nnewi
George Turnah FC (Bayelsa) Vs Ngwa FC (Ebonyi) – Umuahia
Spartan FC (Lagos) Vs JCTC FC (Ogun) – Akure
IfeanyiUbah Feeders (Nnewi) Vs Cynosure FC (Ebonyi) - Owerri
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