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The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has acted swiftly to avoid a potential conflict by appointing a team of South African referees to officiate in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Egypt and Tunisia on Friday.
The quartet of Victor Gomes, assistants Zakhele Siwela and Johannes Moshidi, as well as fourth official Victor Hlungwani, have replaced match officials from Algeria, who were initially assigned to handle the north African derby at Alexandria-Borg El Arab Stadium.
CAF said this week that Algerian referee Mustapha Ghorbal was not available for the Egypt versus Tunisia match.
“Hence, it was decided to replace him with Victor Miguel de Freitas Gomes,” read the letter – which City Press has seen – addressed to all the parties concerned.
The continental football governing body also cited “technical reasons” behind the move to replace the Algerian assistant referees, including the fourth official.
Gomes, Siwela, Moshidi and Hlungwani were originally scheduled to adjudicate the qualifier between Ethiopia and Ghana in Addis Ababa next Sunday.
SA Football Association referees’ technical committee chairperson Natasha Tsichlas said being designated to high-profile fixtures showed how highly the continent thought of South African match officials.
“It shows that our referees are professional and understand the laws of the game,” Tsichlas said.
“The target is to have a good representation at the 2022 World Cup [in Qatar].”
Egypt and Tunisia have already confirmed their berths at the continental showpiece in Cameroon, but pride will still be at stake between the two African football powerhouses on Friday.
The Carthage Eagles of Tunisia, who edged out the Pharaohs 1-0 in their first-leg clash, top Group J with 12 points.
Egypt are second on nine points in a group that includes Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) and Niger, who are on a point each with two rounds of matches left to conclude the qualification campaign to Cameroon.
