World Cup Qualifiers: Africa's Best Referee To Handle Nigeria's Crunch Tie Against Algeria

Africa’s best referee for the past two years Bakary Papa Gassama from Gambia will be in charge of next month’s World Cup qualifier between Nigeria and Algeria in Uyo.

Gassama, 37, and who has been an international referee since 2008, is one of the most respected referees in Africa. He has already been appointed as referee for this year’s CAF Champions League final, second leg clash between Zamalek of Egypt and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, taking place in Alexandria on Sunday, 23rd October.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation has won a protest it quietly launched following the release of the official match appointment, which set the kick –off time at 5.30pm.

“The information we sent to FIFA was that we wanted the match to start at 5pm; we were surprised when the match appointment was released and the kick –off time was set at 5.30pm. The NFF immediately protested and eventually, on Wednesday morning, FIFA agreed that the match will start at 5pm,” NFF’s director of competitions, Bola Oyeyode, disclosed.