Nigerian referee Joseph Odey Ogabor has been appointed as the centre referee for the first-leg CAF Champions League encounter between Ghanaian club Medeama SC and Congolese giants TP Mazembe.
Sports247 reports that the highly anticipated continental fixture is scheduled for September 6 at 3:00pm at the TNA Stadium in Ghana, with Ogabor set to lead an all-Nigerian match officiating team.
Ogabor will be supported by Tejiri Besmart Digbori, who has been appointed Assistant Referee 1, while Ahmad T.T. Mustapha will serve as Assistant Referee 2. Salisu Basheer completes the Nigerian officiating team as the Fourth Official.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has also appointed Bakary K. Jammeh as Match Commissioner and Sinco Zeli of Côte d’Ivoire as Referee Assessor for the encounter.
The appointment represents another significant opportunity for Nigerian refereeing to showcase its quality on the continental stage.
For Ogabor and his assistants, the assignment will demand concentration, consistency and sound decision-making, with both Medeama and TP Mazembe expected to approach the first leg with the intensity associated with CAF Champions League football.
The presence of four Nigerian match officials on the officiating team also highlights the confidence placed in the country’s referees at the continental level.
Ogabor will now be tasked with ensuring that the encounter is conducted according to CAF’s laws and regulations while maintaining control of what is expected to be a competitive first-leg battle.
The appointment comes as another boost for Nigerian refereeing, providing the officials with valuable exposure and experience at one of Africa’s premier club competitions.
Attention will therefore turn to the TNA Stadium on September 6 as Medeama host TP Mazembe, with Ogabor and his team entrusted with handling proceedings in the crucial Champions League encounter.
