CAF picks Nigerien, Burkinabe referees for Côte d’Ivoire/Nigeria battle in Abidjan

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has selected Nigerien official Zouwaira Souley as the centre referee for Wednesday’s match between Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria in Abidjan.

The match is the second leg tie of a 2022 Women Africa Cup of Nations (AWCON) final qualifying round fixture.

Souley will work with compatriot Hawa Moussa (assistant referee 1), Lamouni Latiifah Pare from Burkina Faso (assistant referee 2) and another Nigerien, Nafissa Sani (fourth official).

Ademola Olajire, Director of Communications at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), said in a statement on Monday that Ayawa Mawoufemo Dzodope from Togo will serve as the game’s match commissioner.

Another Togolese, Latré-Kayi Lawson-Hogban, is the match’s referee assessor.

The the Nigerian team, the Super Falcons, are nine-time winners of AWCON and won the first leg match at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja 2-0 on Friday.

Both goals were scored by U.S-based forward Ifeoma Onumonu.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s contingent to the return leg arrived in Abidjan on Sunday evening, and trained at the Palais des Sports in the Treichville area of the city.

The 23-woman Super Falcons squad includes team captain Onome Ebi, Onumomu, defender Ashleigh Plumptre and goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie.

Others are midfielders Rasheedat Ajibade, Toni Payne and Rita Chikwelu, and forwards Esther Okoronkwo and Gift Monday.

Wednesday’s encounter will take place at the Stade Robert Champroux, also in Abidjan, and will begin at 4 p.m Cote d’Ivoire time.

The winners on aggregate will join hosts Morocco and Uganda who have already qualified for the 12-team finals holding in Morocco from July 2 to July 23.

Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Burundi and Tunisia who scooped huge first-leg wins, as well as Botswana who won away from home, look good for spots in Morocco.

Also, to some extent, Nigeria and South Africa who had decent home wins.

Burundi will on Monday visit Djibouti, while Namibia and Zambia, whose first leg game ended scoreless in Luanda, will face off at the Dobsonville Stadium in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

The rest eight matches will hold on Wednesday.