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Yanga-Belouizdad encounter hots up as CAF names referees

Young Africans (Yanga) defender Gift Fred (left) shields the ball away from a Polisi Tanzania player during the Azam Federation Cup encounter held on Tuesday night at the Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam. Yanga won 5-0. PHOTO | COURTESY

By  Majuto Omary

Sports Reporter

Mwananchi Communications Ltd

What you need to know:

  • The encounter is scheduled to take place next Saturday, at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam

Dar es Salaam. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has selected referees from Mali and Burkina Faso to officiate the CAF Champions League match between Young Africans (Yanga) and CR Belouizdad of Algeria.

The encounter is scheduled to take place next Saturday at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

According to CAF, experienced Malian referee Boubou Traore will be at the centre to officiate the crucial Group D match, which is set to kick off at 7pm.

Related

Traore also officiated in the just-ended Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Ivory Coast. Aside from that, Traore officiated the Group D encounter of the CAF Champions League between Al Ahly of Egypt and Medeama SC of Ghana, whereby the Egyptians, as the defending champions, won 3-0.

He also served as the fourth official in the Afcon match between Tanzania’s national football team (Taifa Stars) and Zambia in Ivory Coast, where the clash ended in a 1-1 draw, as well as in the match between Taifa Stars and Morocco, whereby Tanzania lost 3-0.

The Malian referee will be assisted by Sydou Tiama from Burkina Faso and Nodibo Samake, also from Mali, while the reserve referee (fourth official) will be Ousmane Diakate, also from Mali. Other match officials include Haruna Mawanda from Uganda, Tengetile Ndlinda from Swaziland, Brou Parfait from Ivory Coast, and Michael Beray from Ethiopia.

The match is very crucial for both teams in order to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition. Yanga are third in the group after collecting five points from four matches. Victory against CR Belouizdad will make them collect eight points and need a point to qualify for the knockout stage.

After hosting CR Belouizdad, Yanga will travel to Egypt to face Al Ahly, who top the group with six points. The match will be held on March 2 at the Cairo International Stadium.

Arithmetically, Yanga face a must-win tie against CR Belouizdad and also will have to get a positive result against Al Ahly in their last match.

Medeama, who will host Al Ahly, also have a chance to qualify for the knockout stage if they win over the defending champions.

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