Grisha, Gassama get roles in Nigeria, Cameroon battles

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, 1^st 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, 4^th 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, 5^th 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.