Moroccan referee for Squirrels versus Eagles match

• Algeria Qualifies
Redoune Jiyed, the Moroccan who handled the Nigeria versus South Africa quarter-finals clash at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations has been assigned the same roll in the Benin-Nigeria qualifying duel for Cameroon 2021.

Two of his compatriots, Lahsen Azgaou and Mostafa Akarkad will be the assistant referees.

Nicknamed the ‘Child of Sous’ a region in the mid-southern Morocco, Redoune Jiyed, 40 is often compared with the late Said Belqola, the Moroccan who was the only African to officiate a World Cup final match.

Belqola, who had officiated in Nigeria in a World Cup encounter against Guinea in 1996 as well as a Shooting Stars Champions League duel with South Africa’s Orlando Pirates, was the referee of the France versus Brazil World Cup final match in 1998.

The fourth official for the Benin-Nigeria match is Burkina Faso’s David Yaméogo Koudougou. The Beninese doctor Sylvestre Parfait Aivodji is responsible for the COVID-19 tests while the security officer is the Ghanaian Julius Ben Emunah.

Meanwhile, defending champions, Algeria kept their unbeaten record intact with an away thrilling 3-3 draw to Zambia in Lusaka, to retain top spot of Group H with one game to spare.

The draw in Lusaka meant Zimbabwe guaranteed qualification to the AFCON finals, having beaten Botswana 1-0 in a simultaneous kickoff in Gaborone.

Perfect Chikwende scored what proved to be the game’s lone goal after 14 minutes, as Zimbabwe raised their tally to 8 points, four more than Botswana and Zambia to guarantee their place in Cameroon.