Monday 8 July 2019

AFCON 2019 - Knockout Stage Appointments

Find below the appointments for the Africa Cup of Nations 2019 in the knockout stage.


ROUND OF SIXTEEN

05/07

Morocco - Benin
Referee: Helder Martins (ANG)
Assistant Referee 1: Jerson Dos Santos (ANG)
Assistant Referee 2: Berhe Tesfagiorghis (ERI)
Fourth Official: Maguette N’Diaye (SEN)

Uganda - Senegal
Referee: Mustapha Ghorbal (ALG) 
Assistant Referee 1: Abdelhak Etchiali (ALG)
Assistant Referee 2: Mokrane Gourari (ALG)
Fourth Official: Amin Omar (EGY)

06/07

Nigeria - Cameroon
Referee: Joshua Bondo (BOT)
Assistant Referee 1: Olivier Kabene Safari (COD)
Assistant Referee 2: Arsenio Marengula (MOZ)
Fourth Official: Youssef Essrayri (TUN)

Egypt - South Africa
Referee: Eric Otogo-Castane (GAB)
Assistant Referee 1: Issa Yaya (CHA)
Assistant Referee 2: Lionel Andrianantenaina (MAD)
Fourth Official: Alioum Alioum (CMR)

07/07

Madagascar - Congo
Referee: Noureddine El-Jaafari (MAR)
Assistant Referee 1: Lahcen Azgaou (MAR)
Assistant Referee 2: Mustapha Akarkad (MAR)
Fourth Official: Redouane Jiyed (MAR)

Algeria - Guinea
Referee: Bernard Camille (SEY)
Assistant Referee 1: Evarist Menkouande (CMR)
Assistant Referee 2: Mohammed Ibrahim (SDN)
Fourth Official: Louis Hakizimana (RWA)

08/07

Mali - Ivory Coast
Referee: Janny Sikazwe (ZAM)
Assistant Referee 1: Waleed Ahmed (SDN)
Assistant Referee 2: Gilbert Cheruiyot (KEN)
Fourth Official: Bakary Gassama (GAM)

Ghana - Tunisia
Referee: Victor Gomes (RSA)
Assistant Referee 1: Zakhele Siwela (RSA)
Assistant Referee 2: Souru Phatsoane (LES)
Fourth Official: Jean jacques ngambo Ndala (COD)


QUARTERFINALS

10/07

Senegal - Benin
Referee: Mustapha Ghorbal (ALG)
Assistant Referee 1: Mahmoud Abu Elregal (EGY)
Assistant Referee 2: Mokrane Gourari (ALG)
Fourth Official: Gehad Grisha (EGY)
Fifth Official: Anouar Hmila (TUN)
Video Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel (NED)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: Bakary Gassama (GAM)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: Zakhele Siwela (RSA)

Nigeria - South Africa
Referee: Redouane Jiyed (MAR)
Assistant Referee 1: Lahcen Azgaou (MAR)
Assistant Referee 2: Mustapha Akarkad (MAR)
Fourth Official: Bernard Camille (SEY)
Fifth Official: Issa Yaya (CHA)
Video Assistant Referee: Benoît Millot (FRA)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: Janny Sikazwe (ZAM)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: El Hadji Malick Samba (SEN)

11/07

Ivory Coast - Algeria
Referee: Bamlak Tessema Weyesa (ETH)
Assistant Referee 1: Waleed Ahmed (SDN)
Assistant Referee 2: Olivier Kabene Safari (COD)
Fourth Official: Victor Gomes (RSA)
Fifth Official: Lionel Andrianantenaina (MAD)
Video Assistant Referee: Bakary Gassama (GAM)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: Pol van Boekel (NED)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: Zakhele Siwela (RSA)

Madagascar - Tunisia
Referee: Alioum Alioum (CMR)
Assistant Referee 1: Evarist Menkouande (CMR)
Assistant Referee 2: Elvis Noupue (CMR)
Fourth Official: Eric Otogo-Castane (GAB)
Fifth Official: Seydou Tiama (BFA)
Video Assistant Referee: Benoît Millot (FRA)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: Mustapha Ghorbal (ALG)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: El Hadji Malick Samba (SEN)

SEMIFINALS 

14/07

Senegal - Tunisia
Referee: Bamlak Tessema (ETH)
Assistant Referee 1: Waleed Ahmed (SDN)
Assistant Referee 2: Olivier kabene safari (COD)
Fourth Official: Bernard Camille (SEY)
Fifth Official: Lionel Andrianantenaina (MAD)
Video Assistant Referee: Benoit Millot (FRA)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: Redouane Jiyed (MAR)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: Mahmoud Abu Elregal (EGY)

Algeria - Nigeria
Referee: Bakary Gassama (GAM)
Assistant Referee 1: El Hadji Malick Samba (SEN)
Assistant Referee 2: Seydou Tiama (BFA)
Fourth Official: Victor Gomes (RSA)
Fifth Official: Issa Yaya (CHA)
Video Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel (NED)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: Janny Sikazwe (ZAM)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: Zakhele Siwela (RSA)

77 comments:

  1. What refs allow to be unpunished in this AFCON,and in general refs from Africa are so lenient that sometimes it's ugly to watch matches were they are in charge.

    Worst criterium for when to choose warnings,bookings IMO.

    That's why we see games with 50+fouls and for ex.3 bookings.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. C'mon, ProRef will tell you have no understanding. ;)

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    2. I prefer watching games with many fouls and fights. As a ref that's not fun but as a viewer that's pure entertainment. Just like the Copa America.

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  2. Now we see in Uganda - Senegal match totally different approach from Mustapha Ghorbal.
    3 big incidents in first 10 minutes-3 bookings.
    One was GK,s dangerous foul,other one was elbow to the face and last one was push off the ball.
    No talking,no warnings,just right refereeing to calm down players who began this match very heated.
    Hopefully he continues with an attitude like that.

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    Replies
    1. Wow, 3 early bookings by Ghorbal, that's extra-ordinary.

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    2. Indeed, Ghorbal has been impressive. We had one more YC until half-time and several more fouls, but so far, his decisions are all at least supportable. He will have to be careful though, especially two Uganda players are very close to a SYC.

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  3. Madagascar - Congo

    Referee: Noureddine El-Jaafari (MAR)
    Assistant Referee 1: Lahcen Azgaou (MAR)
    Assistant Referee 2: Mustapha Akarkad (MAR)
    Fourth Official: Redouane Jiyed (MAR)

    Algeria - Guinea

    Referee: Bernard Camille (SEY)
    Assistant Referee 1: Evarist Menkouande (CMR)
    Assistant Referee 2: Mohammed Ibrahim (SDN)
    Fourth Official: Louis Hakizimana (RWA)

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  4. Benin vs Morocco two yellow cards for a player that has lead to controversy. I only saw the cards given, not the reasons why except that he was playing with a ring. Why not just order him to take of the ring instead of giving a yellow card? Or maybe he did and he didn't listen.

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    Replies
    1. It seems as both yellow cards were issued for protests against referee, in the second case there was maybe also a small physical contact with referee while another player was injured on the ground. AR1 Jerson dos Santos with a wrong offside call (very difficult situation to read because quick action) and a goal scored by Morocco couldn't count. Penalty to Morocco in the last seconds of regular time was absolutely correct.

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    2. I want also to add that I don't find logical to have VAR but to use it only from quarterfinals, what is the sense there? With a small effort, I think they could have covered at least all KO games, but basically the normality would have been to use it in all competitions games. Now you have a situation wrongly assessed in Round of 16 and then a very different scenario in Quarterfinal. Quite absurd, but surely less absurd than what we saw at Asian Cup with both AARs and VAR.

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  5. Now in Cameroon-Nigeria I saw two legged tackle that resulted in a foul and not even a YC?
    Too much leniency.
    Also same player that made that tackle was strictly warned not even 5 minutes earlier for late tackle.

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  6. MOROCCO - BENIN, Hélder Martins de Carvalho

    Very controversial game where the officiating was firmly in medial focus after the final whistle, mostly thanks to unexpected 2nd Yellow Card for dissent (98') and incorrectly disallowed goal for Morocco in a very tight situation (40').

    => Carvalho's formula for success is his natural authority, which formulates part of an uncompromising policeman approach, typified by the 2nd Yellow Card. In general it was this authority that especially in the harder moments, was the key to keeping the control.

    => Very crucial penalty at +94' was correctly awarded, ideal positioning made a rather simple call even easier for Carvalho who punished the careless trip.

    => More positive point of his performance was his foul detection. Although there was one or the other inexplicable whistles, it was usually predictable what amount of contact that the referee would tolerate (not very much for a European audience).

    => Disciplinary control left an overall negative impression. He ridiculously violated LotG for cautioning BEN14 for "wearing a ring" - this is not a caution offense, he never left / entered the FoP without referee's permission, it is the job of the ARs pre-match and 4th for substitutes to compute whether a player complies with Law 4. Missed YCs for dissent (35') and reckless tackling that was not even whistled (83'). On the other hand, very smart YC at +105' for persistent infringement - correct, too - which helped the referee keep control during the hotter moments.

    => Most crucial moment of the game was the 2nd Yellow Card sorted out for dissent at 98'. This decision was very unexpected, but (IMO, admirably) Carvalho had no hesitations to send off BEN03, who made contact with the referee. My feeling though is that Carvalho needlessly aggravated the players with his attitude, and the whole mess afterwards - BEN03 tried to get MAR coach leading to some riots - could have been avoided with a different approach.

    => Following on from that, although Carvalho could shout at players to defend his decisions, he could never reach them on a management level and his soft skills were unsophisticated, eg. verbal warning for PI at 45' was given to a players' back. He missed crucial moments to calm the match down, some missing warnings (22' after advantage et al.), not so good advantages, and missing freekicks in the hotter moments (eg. he really risked control at 113' when everyone was expected a whistle). His attitude was clear from even the early moments, he was not ever ready to consider the players as equal and was ready to shout at them (3'), which in my opinion actually inflamed the match rather than calm it, though I have no problem with such uncompromising approach.

    => One scene at 119', when he should have given a dropped ball to Benin after ball hit him, ultimately awarded Morocco a dangerous freekick, was among the worst decisions that I ever saw on a football pitch. Unacceptable.

    => Poor performance by both assistant referees with many important mistakes, very tight onside goal for Morocco was disallowed by Jerson dos Santos at 39' as the biggest example.

    => Penalty competition had no examples of the goalkeeper leaving the line, a law change clearly in focus at WWC.

    -> In the end, while his performance was not a total disaster, Carvalho disappointed me and demonstrated some very important areas for development. While I appreciated that he wasn't afraid to show cards (eg. 2nd YC for dissent was actually right), he should find a better way of interacting with players that would calm the match rather than inflame it, where it is still possible to utilise his key skill of natural authority and authoritarian approach.

    BTW, you can expect report on each AFCON game from myself and Howard Maxi (retrospecting Asian Cup :-)), and when I return from holiday in time for the Quarterfinal, highlights.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for this very detailed report! Very curious to watch the incident in 14', I try to make a video later.

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    2. https://streamable.com/tdx9w

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    3. Thanks for the detailed report! It is indeed wrong to book the player for wearing the ring, once he has been checked by the officials. A YC should only be issued if the player refuses to remove the item.

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    4. Can you enlighten me on how (criteria) Referee are selected for matches. Do they consider the language spoken by the playing team, the Africa zone or it is done randomly at the beginning of the competition.

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  7. Mali - Ivory Coast

    Referee: Janny Sikazwe (ZAM)
    Assistant Referee 1: Waleed Ahmed (SDN)
    Assistant Referee 2: Gilbert Cheruiyot (KEN)
    Fourth Official: Bakary Gassama (GAM)

    Ghana - Tunisia

    Referee: Victor Gomes (RSA)
    Assistant Referee 1: Zakhele Siwela (RSA)
    Assistant Referee 2: Souru Phatsoane (LES)
    Fourth Official: Jean jacques ngambo Ndala (COD)

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  8. Good performance by Eric Otogo-Castane in Egypt - South Africa.

    With the exception of a ridiculous (but irrelevant) foul on the Egyptian goalie by his own player, leading to a free kick for Egypt (?!!), really good Foul identification, card and player management and just generally good acceptance at all times. I’d like to see him again for a SF or more.

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  9. I can't hold a candle to the report Mikael wrote, so I keep mine rather brief. There has been an alarming trend to utterly trash referees here, so thanks to Mikael I provide you with an extended videoclip of the refereeing highlights so that everyone can have a look of their own.

    UGANDA - SENEGAL, Mustapha Ghorbal
    https://ok.ru/video/1169902078499

    My own brief summary: Ghorbal did well in killing any sort of overly physical play and heat on the pitch very early with three fully correct bookings. Afterwards, he tried to be more lenient, missing perhaps some possible cards. One could say he was lenient when he could be, but most importantly wasn't when he shouldn't be. The penalty was clear as day. He prefers staying in the background far too much to be commanding and he had some wrong calls on a perception level. Nevertheless, the Algerian was a safe pair of hands we'll surely see once more at least.

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  10. Madagascar - DR Congo: I'm not watching this game, but I read some reports and referee seems to have been strongly critiziced. Also, I read from statistics: Congo 34 (!) fouls so far but only 2 yellow cards...

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    Replies
    1. Watched the 120 minutes. Three YCs after 58 fouls over 120 minutes. But to be honest: I can't say there were many missed ones. Overall, PI is king, but that's nothing new. The strong cases of SPA and the one really late challenge got booked.

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  11. EGYPT – SOUTH AFRICA, Eric Arnaud Otogo-Castane

    Game was not as challenging as the result might suggest, both teams were mostly interested in playing football. Good performance which presented a good candidature for higher tasks.

    => Otogo-Castane’s biggest success in this match was the way that he led the players through softer skills and finer management. His mimics were excellent – reminding me on the maître, Mateu – they were at times supercilious (eg. ‘shooing’ players away at 21’), but never conveyed an arrogant impression but rather that of a strong leader. Impressive.

    => His foul detection was quite strict meaning even smaller contacts were whistled. A few of these were a bit unnecessary; more importantly his line was predictable for the players and audience, he only missed one infringement in the whole game (see below).

    => Disciplinary control was overall solid. At 10’, referee missed a reckless foul on a perception level for a standing leg tackle. Each of the four cautions given were clear and correct (see below, though) and helped to keep the game calm. Good, but he was not really challenged in this regard.

    => Opening YC was sorted out at 44’ for RSA No.18 who made a heavy reckless tackle. Quite ‘classic’ borderline situation, on the one hand some studs are planted on the lower shin, on the other mostly the tackle was made on top of the foot. I would prefer to see such tackles punished with a RC:SFP, but referee can be backed here.

    => An area for development would be dissent management. He bore two relatively clear dissents in both 41’ and 42’ without a verbal warning, I don’t ask for a caution, but he should at least react against them in some way. A verbal warning for dissent was issued at 65’, which proved effective. Due to his uncooperative (do not read that negatively) style, punishing dissent for him is not as valuable as other referees, but they should not just be tolerated.

    I agree with Questionmark, good performance in this match. Otogo-Castane should be considered for further matches in this competition, especially his personality is (one of) the best available for CAF in their roster.

    HOWEVER, unless I forgot sth, he never officiated with VAR before, so maybe WC 2018 / U20 WC attendees will exclusively officiate the last eight matches (just ask Muhammad Taqi…).

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  12. NIGERIA - CAMEROON, Joshua Bondo
    https://ok.ru/video/1170393336355

    The first time I saw Bondo he reminded me of Oddjob from "Goldfinger" (his stature). He surely is a unique refere. His player management varies from very angry at times to very friendly at others. In this match, he tried to allow as much as possible, especially until the first card. I'm not a fan of that style, no matter if it works (it did) or not. Several more cards would have been better to curb some tendencies for rough play. That said, we had no major penalty area incidents.

    I for one would NOT appoint him in further matches. It was simply too lenient a line in the very physical beginning and I fear in a more heated match his style of management might get him into trouble. I also would assume his inexperience with VAR would count against him.

    Apart from that, I can only invite you to have a look yourselves.

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    Replies
    1. 5:13 since he called a foul it's automatically a crucial error to not call the penalty. Clearly inside the area, he called a free kick.

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  13. https://i.postimg.cc/5jWWk225/123.jpg
    Looks like extremely tight offside, if last touch by attacker (not 100% clear). AR1 reported a deliberate handball that never happened. Impossible for Gomes to make any assessment about that.

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  14. Commentator on Serbian TV:
    "Does this man know how to referee at all?!?"

    This comment came after his decision to whistle end after 5 minutes of stoppage,which was originally added.In that added time,Ghana scored a goal,Tunisian's were complaining and not adding another time to play was just poor from him.

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  15. MADAGASCAR - CONGO DR, Noureddine El-Jaafari
    https://streamable.com/q5bh2

    58 fouls in 120+ minutes say a lot. I do not believe he missed a ton of cards, but 2-3 were definitely in there. Basically every Congo player could have been booked for PI with 42 (!) fouls committed by the Leopards.

    El Jaafari was ok with just whistling, his communication was rather soft. Not afraid to touch players, but overall not strict. Quite like Ghorbal in that regard. While I would not say it was a weak performance, it certainly wasn't great either. In my eyes, not an exceptional referee, this should be his last match.

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  16. Anyone got news of QF appointments, please?

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  17. QF predictions
    SEN-BEN: Jiyed, Lahcen, Akarkad (all MAR), El Din (EGY) - Sikazwe (ZAM)
    NGA-RSA: Selmi (TUN), Amsaaed (LBY), Mellouchi (TUN), Keita (MLI) - Alioum (CMR)
    CIV-ALG: Ngambo, Safari (both COD), Amaldine (COM), Essrayri (TUN) - Grisha (EGY)
    MAD-TUN: Tessema (ETH), Ibrahim (SDN), Cheruiyot (KEN), Otogo (GAB) - Gassama (GAM)

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  18. Quarterfinals

    Senegal - Benin

    Referee: Mustapha Ghorbal (ALG)
    Assistant Referee 1: Mahmoud Abu Elregal (EGY)
    Assistant Referee 2: Mokrane Gourari (ALG)
    Fourth Official: Gehad Grisha (EGY)
    Fifth Official: Anouar Hmila (TUN)
    Video Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel (NED)
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: Bakary Gassama (GAM)
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: Zakhele Siwela (RSA)

    Nigeria - South Africa

    Referee: Redouane Jiyed (MAR)
    Assistant Referee 1: Lahcen Azgaou (MAR)
    Assistant Referee 2: Mustapha Akarkad (MAR)
    Fourth Official: Bernard Camille (SEY)
    Fifth Official: Issa Yaya (CHA)
    Video Assistant Referee: Millot Benoit (FRA)
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: Janny Sikazwe (ZAM)
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: El Hadji Malick Samba (SEN)

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    Replies
    1. Mustapha Ghorbal again for Senegal after having them in the previous round. What could be the possible reasons.

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    2. So far,Ghorbal left best impression IMO.

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    3. Indeed, I think he was appointed again because with Algeria still in the tournament, this can be his last chance to get a game, and he did well so far. Senegal - Benin is the game paired with the winner of Madagascar - Tunisia, so that's why he got again the same team.

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  19. So CAF asked for VAR from other confederations, interesting. However, this makes even less logical that they were not used all tournament long, with foreign VAR this would have been 100% possible in terms of organization!

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  20. OT:
    "Moussa Sissoko’s Champions League final handball against Liverpool would not be given in the Premier League under new VAR rules next season, referees’ chief Mike Riley has revealed."
    I said at the time that I didn't think it was handball.
    What does everyone think about a referee chief essentially throwing the Champions League final referee under the bus?

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  21. Ivory Coast - Algeria

    Referee: Bamlak Tessema (ETH)
    Assistant Referee 1: Waleed Ahmed (SDN)
    Assistant Referee 2: Olivier kabene safari (COD)
    Fourth Official: Victor Gomes (RSA)
    Fifth Official:
    Video Assistant Referee:
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1:
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2:

    Madagascar - Tunisia

    Referee: Alioum Alioum (CMR)
    Assistant Referee 1: Evarist Menkouande (CMR)
    Assistant Referee 2: Elvis Noupue (CMR)
    Fourth Official: Eric Otogo-Castane (GAB)
    Fifth Official:
    Video Assistant Referee:
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1:
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2:

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  22. I need to see more representing east African officials as all the teams represented are already out!

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  23. Hello, can you humbly give us the list of officials who are left for the quater- Finals, Semi- finals and probably final.

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  24. OT
    Hello to all readers of this great blog! There isn't many people who support the 3rd team - the real heroes of football - but I am glad that there are some who do that and exchange their opinions and experience. Although FIFA and it's confederations don't like to communicate a lot, the refereeing community always finds the newest information and share with it, and that's amazing. But lets get to the main point. I have created 'The Referee'. It consists of the following:
    > Website - thefref.weebly.com
    > Twitter account - twitter.com/TheFReferee
    > Youtube channel - youtube.com/channel/UC1A0eZ6sH4pr7eh_4fNCixQ
    > Twitter account - twitter.com/TheFReferee
    > Forum - thefref.createaforum.com
    My current plan is to be more active on Twitter and on the website. For now you can't expect videos on Youtube. Regarding the forum, currently there is no activity at all, if it will stay like that for a long time, I'll consider shutting it down. My most notable project so far - I have created a 50 minutes long video featuring all 2018 FIFA World Cup VAR reviews + I added the match officials communication TO 3 reviews from the media briefing. It took an enormous time of work for me, I hope you'll find it useful. You can find it here: tiny.cc/xeh88y
    There are few people who know about me, so please follow on Twitter - that'll give others the oppurtunity to find out about me.
    Maybe you'll say my ambitions are a bit too high but I think it's better they are high than low. As I said, I may consider only maintaing some of the content places based on how all will work out. Don't misinterpret it - my intention isn't to replace this blog or something. Would be great to hear your opinion about all this in the replies. And sorry for taking the comment space!

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  25. Ghorbal with a straight RC for DOGSO outside the box, fully correct decision, VAR confirmed. A few earlier, correctly disallowed goal by AR2. I didn't watch full game but for sure Ghorbal is gaining big credit so far. With Algeria out, would be quite sure to see him in final, if you ask me...

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    Replies
    1. Crucial scenes correct, yes. His foul detection and disciplinary line though. *sigh* AFCON is strange in that regard. Almost everything whistled, but seldom punished.

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    2. @Howard Maxi I agree with you.
      He was way more lenient than in his previous match,he referred in AFCON style.
      Only really hard fouls punishing and whenever he had reason for player to not get booked ,he kept card in his pocket.
      Warnings,warnings and just warnings.

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  26. https://i.postimg.cc/Tw4gh9gC/var.jpg
    VAR room for Nigeria - South Africa.

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  27. Very good call from VAR. Reasons why VAR is so important so important

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  28. ALGERIA - GUINEA, Bernard Camille

    Very challenging first twenty minutes (inc. missed penalty) that was generally well solved, the rest of the game was more or less easy-going to referee.

    => Both teams started the match by playing very combatively with many relevant tackles and moments (3', 4', 5', 11', 11', 14', 15', 17') that were important to Camille on a management level. In the end one could say he was fortunate that the tackles that would threaten his control of the match were signposted by small riots after them - agricultural but rather careless for my taste tackle at 5' by GUI07 and a reckless foul at 14' by ALG17. Especially after 5', Camille actually had no option but to card or lose control, same for 14' as it crucially offered him the chance to balance the cards. After that everyone more or less played quite nicely.

    => On the one hand, one could say that Camille was quite fortunate that he 'won' rather than 'lost' the game in the first twenty minutes. Both of the cards fell easily into his hands; of the three harder Guinea fouls in the first ten minutes (4', 5' and 9'), the lightest one was admonished (where there was a riot) when the rest not and Algeria reckless foul came at a perfect moment (14'). In other circumstances, with more (or less ;-)) riots and less balanced fouls he could have faced many more troubles; his evaluation of careless vs. reckless could be seen as quite poor.

    => The other side of the coin reveals a referee who has a very natural authority and elegant management style; arbitrating is what comes naturally to Bernard Camille. He was able to show an even stern authority in his mimics yet still could connect with the players. This, in addition to his calm demeanour / optics, was his key to success in this match. Verbal warning at 3' (what should have been followed by YC a minute later for reckless foul by other nation) for a heavier tackle and for dissent at 15' were both apparently very effective. I can analogise him to Syzmon Marciniak's way of communicating with players which can only be a compliment.

    => Camille missed a penalty for a reckless being carted out at 11'. Situation reminded me on situation in Mažić's Derbi Madrileño; this time referee can thankful that he got a kinder optic than a deeply bleeding Mandžukić this time. Camille should improve his dynamic sprinting as he had no insight angle into the duel, he was too reactive and passive (not only here, in a few situations and he was also in the way a handful of times) and made a crucial mistake thanks to that.
    Though Guinea were afflicted and this at 0-0, I do not think that medially this situation will have too much relevance; though that should not matter!!

    => Besides, there were few problems after that. Good YC for PI at 54' helped the match stay calm. Foul detection was more of a weakness than a strength for him, not so predictable when the whistle would go. He bore a clear dissent at 79' without warning.

    => My notes report an important mistake by AR2 at 47', and some good and some bad decisions computed by the assistants besides. Ambivalent impression.

    -> I did not watch Bernard Camille handle a CAF CL game in the interseeding period between this match and Algeria - Tunisia in the last AFCON, but I am left with the impression of a referee who can handle really hot games, thanks to his key skill in the way that he can connect with players and still be a strong authority. He should work on his movement and can improve his foul detection. I do not think that missed penalty will affect his future appointments; he should be a strong name for sth more, but my feeling is that he handled his last game here.

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  29. Ivory Coast - Algeria

    Referee: Bamlak Tessema (ETH)
    Assistant Referee 1: Waleed Ahmed (SDN)
    Assistant Referee 2: Olivier kabene safari (COD)
    Fourth Official: Victor Gomes (RSA)
    Fifth Official: Lionel Andrianantenaina (MAD)
    Video Assistant Referee: Bakary Gassama (GAM)
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: Pol van Boekel (NED)
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: Zakhele Siwela (RSA)

    Madagascar - Tunisia

    Referee: Alioum Alioum (CMR)
    Assistant Referee 1: Evarist Menkouande (CMR)
    Assistant Referee 2: Elvis Noupue (CMR)
    Fourth Official: Eric Otogo-Castane (GAB)
    Fifth Official: Seydou Tiama (BFA)
    Video Assistant Referee: Millot Benoit (FRA)
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: Mustapha Ghorbal (ALG)
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: El Hadji Malick Samba (SEN)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So it seems as only Millot and van Boekel are foreign VAR.

      Delete
  30. 46' (first minute of second half) in CIV - ALG: penalty whistled by Thessema, however weird VAR management. It looked he whistled and then he immediately communicated with VAR without signaling anything before that to players, then after having talked to VAR he issued YC. This is not how VAR sholud be used, VAR is not a live help for referees, it must be used only in case of clear mistake, referee MUST decide on the pitch before communicating with it.
    I can't be sure he didn't indicate penalty spot at all before consulting, but he was too quick with VAR in my opinion, in any case.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Apart from that, and a missing YC here and there, I thought it was a very good match, particularly his foul identification and player management. Good demeanor.

      Delete
  31. MALI - IVORY COAST, Janny Sikazwe

    Dynamic game with technically strong football. Janny Sikazwe officiated the game excellently, he was close to being flawless.

    => Crucial moment in the game occured at 65'. CIV22 jumped into a late, careless tackle close to the benches - see Gabriel Jésus' 2nd YC in CA Final - having been cautioned minutes earlier; Mali players and coaches implored for him to be sent off. Sikazwe stayed strong and issued a verbal warning. Perhaps 'football' would expect for him to have shown a second caution, but referee had the nerve not to send him off. Well Done

    => Besides, Sikazwe was close to being faultless in this game. Foul detection, disciplinary control, personality, charisma and fitness were all on a very high level, and offer no chance to criticise him!

    => One point for improvement: after much running in this game, Sikazwe gave the impression of some mental and physical fatigue (not so great fitness as we saw for the rest). No cards for some small conflicts at (87', 88', +94') was fully okay, he waited for the game return to calm before sanctioning the restart, but blowing the final whistle after order was restored - although understandable as Mali players were the irritants and losing - did not leave the best impression.

    -> I can only offer praise for Janny Sikazwe's performance, it was almost perfect. It reminded me on Milorad Mažić in the Belgium - Brazil game; especially as the matches were very similar. Perhaps he can learn one thing from the Serbian, developing an immense level of fitness to keep going until the last whistle.

    He should be a certain name for a further (SF) game.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Senegal - Tunisia

    Referee: Bamlak Tessema (ETH)
    Assistant Referee 1: Waleed Ahmed (SDN)
    Assistant Referee 2: Olivier kabene safari (COD)
    Fourth Official: Bernard Camille (SEY)
    Fifth Official: Lionel Andrianantenaina (MAD)
    Video Assistant Referee: Millot Benoit (FRA)
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: Redouane Jiyed (MAR)
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: Mahmoud Abu Elregal (EGY)

    ReplyDelete
  33. Algeria - Nigeria

    Referee: Bakary Gassama (GAM)
    Assistant Referee 1: El Hadji Malick Samba (SEN)
    Assistant Referee 2: Seydou Tiama (BFA)
    Fourth Official: Victor Gomes (RSA)
    Fifth Official: Issa Yaya (CHA)
    Video Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel (NED)
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: Janny Sikazwe (ZAM)
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: Zakhele Siwela (RSA)

    ReplyDelete
  34. I think the trio from Cameroon will officiate the final.

    ReplyDelete
  35. SENEGAL - BENIN, Mustapha Ghorbal

    Typical game with some challenges but overall not challenging to officiate. Overall okay performance, but not fully convincing disciplinary control.

    Hard to write a full report on this one, but Ghorbal fulfilled the requirements of this match with a solid foul detection and keeping control. RC-DOGSO was fully correct at 83'. He effectively used some verbal warnings and was able to reach players on a friendly level. After a card that was more-or-less mandatory in 1H for a reckless tackle, he tolerated too much in the 2H, especially re. SPA fouls. He then issued two cautions in additional time, for DtR and carting out a reckless elbow.

    So, not so bad performance, but one could have hoped for better from Ghorbal based on his previous matches. Probably this was his last game considering Algeria's progression.

    VIDEO CLIP:

    => 83', RC issued for DOGSO, confirmed by VAR team
    https://youtu.be/UBSbS6NGpY0?t=134

    ReplyDelete
  36. GHANA - TUNISIA, Victor Gomes
    https://ok.ru/video/1172751583779

    NIGERIA - SOUTH AFRICA, Rédouane Jiyed
    https://ok.ru/video/1172946618915
    The goal given by VAR without OFR: https://streamable.com/qbi3m?fbclid=IwAR0PtABXiik6XWRqrgens0aTciveI4n9eT4KwbsYY_u-EFdgiy480cLGRhI

    MADAGASCAR - TUNISIA, Alioum Alioum
    36' Pen appeal TUN (Dive?)
    https://streamable.com/e57oq

    39'/41' Missed corner kicks (?)
    https://streamable.com/tohya

    78' Arm use TUN #20
    https://streamable.com/0igkg

    85' Warning MAD #14
    https://streamable.com/87u77

    86' YC MAD #13 - Reckless
    https://streamable.com/txcvt

    ReplyDelete
  37. Algeria - Nigeria

    Referee: Bakary Gassama (GAM)
    Assistant Referee 1: Zakhele Siwela (RSA)
    Assistant Referee 2: Seydou Tiama (BFA)
    Fourth Official: Victor Gomes (RSA)
    Fifth Official: Issa Yaya (CHA)
    Video Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel (NED)
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: Janny Sikazwe (ZAM)
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: El Hadji Malick Samba (SEN)

    ReplyDelete
  38. Wath is wrong that appointment again el hadji makick will be VAR what is wrong admin or aderdour

    ReplyDelete
  39. IVORY COAST - ALGERIA, Bamlak Tessema Weyesa

    This match showcased AFCON at it's best. Challenging game, especially in the 1H, that revealed a sophisticated tactical approach from it's referee displaying skills on a high level.

    => Disciplinary control was very good in this match. Besides one dark caution missed for heavy studs-from-behind tackle (80'), referee correctly punished all reckless attacks and unsporting behaviours in the match. I appreciate that he didn't see cards JUST as a tool to control the match; he just punished the actions that merited it.

    => Key moment on a management level at 28': ALG21 pushed CIV09 after a small (very predictable, AR1 really ought to have stepped in before) conflict and his opponent didn't take it well, invading his personal space in a very hyper-masculine way, but with no strike, naturally causing ALG21 to fall to the ground holding his face. Referee (with help from AR1?) saw it perfectly, and opened the cards by cautioning both players for unsporting behaviour -> to improve, referee could have a less chaotic supervision of a mass confrontation and should isolate both players before showing the card, which allows the game more time to calm.

    => Another key moment was penalty awarded in the opening moments of the 2H. Very good decision: ALG player had to jump to avoid the oncoming GK, but Tessema correctly saw it as a foul and not simulation. I think he was too keen to display to the player / audience that VAR was checking the situation (although understandable; considering VAR was first used in AFCON just the day before), and then showed the YC afterwards. I don't believe that VAR told the referee to issue that YC:DOGSO.

    => Final important scene, quite a tight SPA vs. DOGSO situation occured at 120'. ALG player was facing his own goal, what makes the YC that was given the right decision in my eyes.

    => In the AFCON games that I watched and a handful of CAF club competition games in 2019, Tessema was the referee who had the best foul detection / selection of all Africa's referees; easily able to detect simulations, and a totally predictable line in fouls which also allowed a generous (European) amount of contact. This is a skill that can take him far.

    => I was also impressed by some finer smartness that the Ethiopian showed. For instance, he whistled more pedantically after the conflict at 28' to allow the game to return to calm. Furthermore, he identified the problem duo CIV09-ALG21 and when they again had some aggravated words with each other again at 44', he had some words with both of them separately and after that they didn't argue again. He also didn't show a caution for what looked like a clear dissent at 84'; it was goalkeeper frustrated that he didn't pay advantage: common-sensical. It was also interesting to see when he left and stayed in the background; sth that I always find fascinating watching the best referees.

    => My biggest advice to him would be regarding the identification / management of problematic players. ALG09 was perpetually complaining, exaggerating small conflicts and trying to irritate opposition players - for want of a use of a better phrase, he was being a typical 'pain in the arse'. When a PERFECT moment to connect with him at 17' when he relatively politely spoke to the referee, and Tessema decided to walk off laughing. Besides being tactically unsmart, it was actually even rude, and what surely didn't make his life any easier. Tessema can manage the players quite well, but what he could learn very well from eg. Marciniak is how to reach tactically 'valuable' players.

    => Medical researcher, clinical coordinator, sociology degree holder, WC referee and... part-time comedian! In the second coin toss of the match, Tessema genuinely had me laughing a lot switching on the screen: if you can find the clip it is certainly worth watching!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. -> Bamlak Tessema Weyesa confirmed the impression that I had from his previous games, this is a referee who can reach much in his career; he showed some more finer skills in this match. I am disappointed that he is right now handling a Semifinal: he is surely the best among all referees who didn't have an AFCON Final until now - it would be a real travesty if Alioum got the Final over him...

      Delete
    2. Hum hum...abyssal advantage missed without any caution. Wrong corner after. Big foul on it without mandatory YC. Senegalese player pushed clearly the ref and again nothing...Poor and lenient performance...

      Delete
    3. 68’ : missed YC to Diatta after YC for Khazri. Unconsistent line and lack of disciplinary balance. Weak refereing...

      Delete
    4. Excellent two PK decisions by referee but again...physical contact with Sénégal player : ref pushed the player with his head in agressive manner. Unbelievable scene !

      Delete
    5. @Frenchref Minute or video of last mentioned episode would be appreciated.

      Delete
  40. Tessema bamlak is perfect referee and managed the game very well
    i hope tessema will be in final

    ReplyDelete
  41. ALGERIA - NIGERIA, Bakary Papa Gassama

    Nice football game displaying the best of AFCON. Okay performance by Gassama but not more than that.

    Regarding crucial decisions, penalty was correctly awarded after an On-Field Review for handling that took place at 67:01; though the YC given was ridiculous, shot was going wide. Shocking lack of concentration twice (!) to signal a throw-in when the ball never actually went out. Verbal warnings were generally used effectively, especially two early ones (1', 15') - two more excessive ones were not so good, especially 60' where Gassama was extremely aggressive in his demeanor, shouting and pointing right in players' face. Clear YCs missed at 57' for a reckless tackle and 86' for often ignored dissent by VAR gesture. YC for dissent at 68' should really have been followed by a second after sarcastic clapping, but maybe I expect too much. Decisive freekick at +93' was correctly awarded. Nigeria should have been given another playing minute, poor management of additional time.

    Overall okay and without bigger problems, but one could have hoped for better performance; my feeling is that the Gambian regressed in recent times to be honest.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Tessema appointed for final clash between senegal vs algeria goodluck mr tessema

    ReplyDelete
  43. Victor Gomes (rsa) as final referee

    ReplyDelete
  44. Third Place

    Tunisia - Nigeria

    Referee: Gehad Grisha (EGY)
    Assistant Referee 1: Mahmoud Abu Elregal (EGY)
    Assistant Referee 2: Issa Yaya (CHA)
    Fourth Official: Joshua Bondo (BOT)
    Fifth Official: Lionel Andrianantenaina (MAD)
    Video Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel (NED)
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: Janny Sikazwe (ZAM)
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: El Hadji Malick Samba (SEN)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is the most surprising thing I have ever seen. No match through out the tournament. Tho I am really pleased for him the six month was to harsh and this is like a consolation

      Delete
    2. Yes he got a game during the tournament

      Delete
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