Tuesday 6 February 2024

2023 Africa Cup of Nations - Semifinals

Referee assignments at 2023 AFCON, Semifinals.

Ibrahim Mutaz (Lybia) in charge of Ivory Coast - RD Congo

07/02/2024

Nigeria - South Africa
Referee: Amin Mohamed Omar (EGY)
Assistant Referee 1: Mahmoud Ahmed Kamedl Abouregal (EGY)
Assistant Referee 2: Ahmed Hossameldin Taha Ibrahim (EGY)
Fourth Official: Mahmood Ali Mahmood Ismail (SDN)
Reserve Assistant Referee: Amsaaed Attia M. Essa (LBY)
Video Assistant Referee: Benbraham Lahlou (ALG)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: Omar Abdulkadir Artan (SOM)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2 : Diana Chicotesha (ZAM)

Ivory Coast - RD Congo
Referee: Ibrahim Mutaz A. Ibrahim (LBY)
Assistant Referee 1: Hassani Khalil (TUN)
Assistant Referee 2: Liban Abdoulrazack (DJI)
Fourth Official: Bouh Abdel Aziz (MTN)
Reserve Assistant Referee: Gilbert Cheriyot (KEN)
Video Assistant Referee: Rivet Maria Pakuita Cinquela (MRI)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: Mahmoud Mohamed Ashour H. (EGY)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2 : Ibrahim Abdallah Mohamed (SDN)

127 comments:

  1. Expected assignment, as predicted the Egyptian was saved for a semifinal, maybe too early to talk about a major final for him and I think CAF wants to keep his name for the future.
    About the Lybian, nothing to add, very well deserved based on his officiating.

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  2. Replies
    1. I think Jiyed, Ghorbal , Tessema , Issa Sy

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    2. My thought Kamaku, Tessema, Ghorbal or Sy

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    3. Are we going to see Omar Abdulkadir Artan taking over 3rd place?

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  3. I think I would not be surprised to see Mustapha Ghorbal in the finals, no North African team.

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  4. La finale
    Arb : GHORBAL Mustapha
    Arb Assist 1 : MOKRANE Gourari
    Arb Assist 2 : ABBES Zerhouni
    4ème Arb : KARBOUBI Bouchra
    Réserve Assist : AZGAOU Lahcen
    VAR : ASHOUR Mahmoud
    AVAR 1 : BAMLAK Tessema
    AVAR 2 : RIVET Maria


    3ème place
    JAYED Redouane

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    Replies
    1. Ghorbal, Gourari, Dos Santos, Beida/Adel would be my guess/hope for the final. If not repeating linesmen from previous finals, the Angolan could switch for Cheriyot, or of course Zerhouni, if a full Algerian crew is feasible.

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  5. Detailed interpretation of how to restart if VAR intervenes:
    The JFA (Japan Football Association) decided that if the whistle for a penalty blown out-of-play was incorrect, play would be restarted from a dropped ball if VAR intervened.

    I think it's crazy, but here's their explanation:
    ''The protocol used by VAR does not mention cases like this because the rules do not assume that the referee made a mistake. Therefore, in some leagues, if the ball is out of play when the whistle is blown, play is restarted with a corner kick.''

    ''"If we go back to the rules of the game, we would like to understand that the basis for this is that VAR-check are performed on possible penalties."

    I couldn't understand their explanation or their rationale.

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    Replies
    1. Interesting because the PGMOL in England admitted that it was a mistake to restart with a drop ball in such a situation which happened in Chelsea-Brighton earlier in the season

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  6. Premier League Appointments this weekend before Champions League games next week:

    Michael Oliver is VAR on Saturday and is refereeing Crystal Palace vs Chelsea on Monday so he is out from champions league games next week. (Out with his usual ARS). Possible on Thursday in Europa.

    Anthony Taylor is reffing Nottingham Forst vs Newcastle on Saturday evening, with his usual AR’s so he is possible in the champions league.

    Craig Pawson is reffing on Sunday I’m West Ham vs Arsenal with his usual PL non fifa assistants Marc Perry and Steven Meredith, unlikely out possible in EL/ECL. He is also 40 on Monday for Michael Oliver.

    Stuart Attwell is VAR on Saturday and is then due to referee in the championship on Tuesday. Seemed very unlikely we see any English appointments on Tuesday/Wednesday unless they go for another VAR. Still possible for him to do VAR on Thursday.

    John Brooks and Rob Jones have good games (Man City vs Everton and Aston Villa vs Man United) and another good game for SG2 official Sam Barrott (Spurs vs Brighton) Rebecca Welch is 40 on Man City vs Everton.

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  7. My happiness is that Oliver Michael is now fully back in EPL after being missing for sometime

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    Replies
    1. Equally pleased Michael Oliver is back. Do we know why he has been away for so long?

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    2. I really have no idea! But I spoke with his assistant referee Dan Cook and he told me that he was quite busy with personal issues

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  8. My prediction is Ghorbal to the final.

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  9. 2026 FIFA World Cup - Seminar for CAF referres in DOHA QATAR
    Between 25 29 Feb 2024
    Ghorbal ALG
    Ndala RDC
    OMAR EGY
    Shelmani LYB
    Ismail SDN
    SY SEN
    Tom RSA
    Artan SOM
    MAROUF EGY
    Mahmamt tchad
    Beida MTN
    KARBOUBI MAR

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    Replies
    1. Only one female candidate ftom CAF? The other confederations have two women on their candidates list.

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    2. If it takes place in Doha, maybe it is combined with AFC, same as CONCACAF and CONMEBOL in Miami?

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    3. What happened with Mukansanga after WC22? She disappeared as quick as she arrived...

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    4. I agree with you

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    5. List of what ??

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  10. Tessema to retire?

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    Replies
    1. His retirement was announced last year after the CAF Champions League final, but then he continued somehow...

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  11. Ghorbal ndala tom laryea all of them out of afcon
    Some rumors say ghorbal make mistakes in drc gui

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    Replies
    1. Then who is left there in addition to the refs of the semifinals? Sy and Beida?

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    2. Also Maarouf

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    3. Adel could be a name for the final?

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    4. So the penalty given by Ghorbal assessed as mistake in GUIDRC?

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    5. The penalty is my first thought as well.

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    6. Maarouf has only one game, unlikely to see him in the final. Sy and Beida are good options, maybe Tom could be in the discussion as well. Interested to see who they choose. Pretty much any possible option left, if that information is correct, is going to be a pretty new face.

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    7. Sy should be the first option, with Beida close by.

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    8. Maarouf is out

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    9. Maybe Sy , Jiyed , Tessema or Artan

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  12. With both semifinals of the 2023 AFCON played today, amidst a widely satisfying (and indeed widely praised) tournament from the officiating standpoint, a nice moment to look back and reflect 'it wasn't always like that' at the AFCON. Below, highlights (about 15min long) from the 2010 semifinal between Algeria and Egypt, refereed by Coffi Codjia:

    https://www.streambug.io/cv/a22a23

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    1. As a bonus, here are a couple of calls from the 2010 quarterfinals too:

      https://streamvi.com/watch/1790240818601309

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  13. Big day for Arab refereeing: all three continental semifinals taking place today are handled by Arab referees (Ahmad Al Ali (KUW), Amin Omar (EGY), and Ibrahim Mutaz (LBY).

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  14. 27' interesting penalty appeal by South Africa, arms behind the back but when ball passed, there was a certain movement. I think in case of whistle this would have been confirmed, but I can agree NO VAR stuff.
    What one can underline of very positive fact at this tournament, is that how much VAR officials have things clear when they work. It is indeed noticeable by the short time (mostly) they take in assessing incident, not an invasive VAR.

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    Replies
    1. Would an AFC VAR intervened? :)

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    2. Yes, indeed there is a clear difference between AFC and CAF VARs at these tournaments. While CAF referees seem to be instructed with a moderate use of VAR, like it should be, not the same for AFC, they use VAR like FIFA, that could also mean they don't have clear guidelines or, in alternative, they are not so good at the monitor...

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    3. I agree with you caf official don't use var all the time but in this action no pelanty the arm in neutral movement

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    4. What were you saying about expeditious VAR reviews? That one in extra time certainly was not! XD

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  15. Very exaggerated reaction by Osimhen who also looked for what was about to happen, but still clear penalty to Nigeria whistled by the young Egyptian.

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    1. Who, by the way, is not that young anymore... at 39 other refs were doing the WC final.

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    2. Yes I think maarouf have more chance to go to wc26 then omar

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  16. Wowww from goal to penalty

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  17. 84' No goal and penalty after OFR. Well, the correct decision from other replays, but the output from VAR at the monitor seemed to be a lousy angle at slow speed. I really don't get it. Much more convincing replay shown from the broadcaster afterwards

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    Replies
    1. Yes is very clear form camera behind the goal i dont kniw why we go to far camer to get this images
      Only 2 contry in africa have var in there legue the other discover var in close teornement

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  18. As I published yesterday the official ranking of WC2026 CAF REF
    https://ibb.co/GnSXNX4
    GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF THEM

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  19. Do you know what happened with Pacifique from Burundi? I think he was good referee at the last AFCON and become one of promising referee from “old” CAF but now is completely out.

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    Replies
    1. So his treatment now because political transition on CAF not because of his performance, I mean is it different with Tessema case? Tessema performance was poor.

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    2. He need someone in his back even when he make mistakes
      And you know zone staf in caf there is "quota" in evry zone

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  20. 111 possible pelanty and réd card
    Play on by the egyptian

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  21. I m sorry but the make joke of us they don't show offside camera to decide if the foul out or in 16,5

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    Replies
    1. Quite clearly outside

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    2. From offside camera is pelanty to me
      Next time should get var ref form uefa

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    3. I would expect a referee in a Semi-final of a major international tournament to be able to detect that as a foul, even if unsure of the position, on the pitch. Very unfortunate

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    4. It also felt like more than a two minute delay, although I could be wrong. It was a lengthy pause

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    5. Time management has been the only downside in terms of refereeing this tournament in my opinion. It took nearly five minutes to get play underway after that OFR

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  22. Really like the Egyptian ref. Charismatic and great natural authority. Clearly well-respected by the players in a relatively heated match

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  23. I see goalkeepers having to retreat quickly to their goalline has gone completely out the window in this shootout

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  24. In conclusion poor performance by Egyptian but you know he had power nothing happens to him

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    Replies
    1. I don't think I would agree with you on this, I watch the game that is not a poor performance.

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  25. First key match incident muatz dell with it with elegant

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  26. These warnings before set pieces don’t seem to be having much of an effect. Interested to see how Mutaz adapts going forward.

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  27. @adnane your link about 2026 is not working, could you send it again?

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  28. 28 min clear offside missed by ar2

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  29. Omar with a very convincing performance when it comes to personality and almost all situations in the match.
    Sadly, the two exceptions were the penalty and the red card, where he played on, and needed to be corrected by VAR.

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    Replies
    1. You can’t said that he had very convincing performance while he made 2 crucial mistake. You can see especially in 1st incident, clear penalty, clear missed foul in front of him.

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  30. Just small note, Libyan Mutaz always blew the whistle earlier. In first half he blew the whistle 10 seconds earlier and in second half he blew 3 seconds earlier. I think the time management in Asian Cup better than AFCON.

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  31. Looks like the Egyptian had a very clear view on the missed penalty.
    Indeed here the live sequence of the goal scored by Nigeria then changed in penalty to RSA after OFR:
    https://dubz.co/v/ypqc7y
    And replay:
    https://dubz.co/v/810xh8

    Red card for DOGSO absolutely mandatory decision and I would say even easy to give.
    https://dubz.co/v/67s1m4

    Definitely not a good show by the Egyptian, a pity because in the first part of the game he had done quite good including the early penalty call...

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    Replies
    1. How much you give him from 10

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    2. First ofr
      https://streambug.org/cv/218952

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    3. Difficult to talk about mark, let's say until the 75' minute, no clue that something like that could have happeened. Rather positive game, including the crucial call. Then we had these situations, the missed incident leading to RC in extra time is a very important mistake, the missed penalty as well, both are evident. I think that judging the referees on the incident would lead to a very low mark, otherwise he showed good performance, but at the end this was not enough. It is definitely below expected level. If you ask for a markj from 0 to 10 where 10 is the excellence, considering also what he did well before, and for most of the game, I think we can be in the 5 area, where 6 would mean sufficient.

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  32. Second ofr
    https://streambug.org/cv/218952

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    Replies
    1. The link is the same for both videos. I noticed an issue with streambug, I suggest to upload a new video after a previous one only after having refreshed the page on your browser or in a new tab.

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    2. New link first ofr
      https://streambug.org/cv/012817

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  33. Predictions.

    Third Place: Bouchra Karboubi
    Final: Issa Sy

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    Replies
    1. My predictions.
      Third: Ivorian trio with Adel
      Final: Sy, Camara, Dos Santos/Cheriyot, Beida

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  34. Predictions.

    Third Place: Bouchra Karboubi
    Final: tessema

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  35. Full sequences for the three big incidents in Nigeria vs. South Africa:
    https://www.streambug.io/cv/7e1f71
    https://www.streambug.io/cv/03c75d
    https://www.streambug.io/cv/789ffa

    Good decision on the Nigeria penalty. The missed penalty to South Africa is a mostly 'forgiveable' mistake (you can see how he had the wrong perception that the defender played the ball), but completely playing on in the extra time DOGSO incident is pretty poor. Amin's positioning was perfect in the first incident, but he was slightly too 'square on' in the second, but that is more unlucky than anything else. The initially missed RC is more interesting in this respect - not to quite an 'extreme' case like Aytekin, but my feeling watching his games is that the Egyptian ref uses his 'height' more than a 'pure' athletic profile, if you get what I mean. I think he got caught out a bit by the Nigeria counterattack, added to doubts about inside vs. outside, he just decided to play on in 'panic'.

    It's a pity because generally his performance was completely sound for the whole 120min; he has a nice demeanour and earns respect/warmth from the players. To answer Adnane's question - on 'my' scale, after the two OFRs (especially the second), the mark should be five, below the imaginery dotted line of a satisfying performance.

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  36. Some clips from Ivory Coast vs. DR Congo.

    https://streambug.org/cv/618916
    By far the biggest incident for the game, and I agree with the BBC pundits, Mutaz got it right, the goalkeeper was in control of the ball and had it kicked out of his hands illegally. You can see on one of the replays that the Libyan ref immediately reacts exactly when the offence occurred; well-spotted by him.

    https://www.streambug.io/cv/2e8bf8
    https://www.streambug.io/cv/26e7e6
    A couple of other 'miscellaneous' scenes. First, a not-seen offside due to a lack of co-operation between Mutaz and the Djibouti linesman (this was the first game they worked on together). Second, probably the only missed caution of the game (no cards were shown), for a tactical foul by DRC. Another interesting thing to mention as Smala did would be the many warnings before corners; despite his sophsticated style, the Congalese players didn't seem especially impressed with Mutaz in this match. However, it didn't matter on this evening: good performance in a very important and normal difficulty game by the Libyan referee.

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    1. Btw, what is his actual last name? The FIFA website indicates Ibrahim, but have seen different versions including Mutaz and Shelmani...

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    2. Mutaz Ibrahim Al Shalmani

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    3. Thanks for the clips, Mikael.
      Very good decision in the first incident, attacker couldn't play ball. Again, I really liked the body language after the call he made. He reminds me Mažić in some gestures.
      Missed cooperation indeed in the second clip, AR made the assessment on the original pass and missed the header, referee saw it, but he couldn't know that this was a key for changing offside decisions. These cases are always extremely difficult, let alone when you have a referee and an AR working together for the first time.
      Third clip is a missed YC for me as well, I think that in this moment, close to end of first half, referee was still in doubt when to start cards in case, but this one was mandatory and it can be reported as mistake.
      A great tournament for the referee from Lybia, I remember when he had been assigned to CAF CL Final, being quite an unknown name, indeed I wa surtprised as well, now it is absolutely clear why this happened!

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    4. According to the list of candidates shared yesterday by adnane, he is currently ranked No 1 in CAF.

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  37. FIFA (https://www.fifa.com/technical/refereeing/international-referees): MUTAZ Ibrahim (Libya)

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    1. Can he get the AFCON final, right after the semi-final, like Penso (FWWC23) or Marciniak (FCWC23)?

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  38. Referee Tori Penso officiate the match HIL vs NAS Riyadh Season Cup

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  39. Peter kamaku for the final
    3/4 redoune jiyed

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    Replies
    1. I think Tessema for the final
      And Jiyed for 3rd place

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    2. Final between beida and kamaku
      Tomorrow in the evening Caf comity will make decision

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    3. How is it possible referee lead the final in his 2nd game of the tournament?

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    4. Jiyed for the second tournament in a row with the third place final. And the fourth official birth seems like a ‘goodbye present’ to Tessema?

      If Peter Waweru Kamaku really is so close to handle the final - then it would be an extremely regressive step by CAF and threaten to genuinely un-do the positive work so visible in the rest of the tournament. Waweru, who is is a decent-enough African ref and whose selection for this AFCON I generally wouldn’t contest, would showcase in the biggest game of the tournament that all the stereotypes about (sub-Saharan) CAF referees still can ring true - they act like dictators and can’t really communicate with players properly, they can’t really read the game and don’t understand what the teams are trying to do, they can only give a ‘bafoonish’ impression on the pitch and aren’t ‘serious’ referees.

      Of course that is unfair on Waweru, who for one is surely an extremely intelligent man (one of Kenya’s top mathematics professors no less). But on the performance principle, his one(!) game so far in the group stage was not a recommendation for the final by any means: shakily-refereed Morocco vs. DR Congo which ended in a big fight because the Kenyan ref could never extinguish the tension from the game, and even fired it up to a certain extent. FIFA have apparently drawn the correct conclusion from this MARDRC too - Waweru is not good enough for WC2026. I was stunned to read his name in Adnane’s comment and hope CAF come to their senses when making the final decision.

      Dahane Beida on the other hand represents a completely different image - professional, mature and exactly a ‘serious’ referee. Euro Soccer Ref had already picked him out at the last AFCON, and I found his performance in the ‘African Europa League Final’ nothing other than very impressive. However, I wouldn’t have considered him for the final this time either. His AFCON 2023 resumé undoubtedly offers more than Waweru, but not by that much: a Day 2 lop-sided group match which turned out to be surprisingly interesting (both Beida and the Kenyan requiring an OFR in the GS), and one of the most exotic R16 clashes in which he did very well. Beida is still young (32yo!), and immediately giving him the showpiece would be a rather ‘jolting’ development process in my eyes. If CAF wanted to make a final appointment to signal a ‘revolution’ à la Kassai in 2011, then Beida or indeed Sy are the best bets. But the merits of that strategy seem questionable, at least to me.

      I can’t help but think CAF have ’s—t the bed’ having chosen to reject Ghorbal’s quarterfinal penalty call, and it would *seem* that they had bet very heavily on the Algerian handling the final and now don’t know what to do. CAF have, in my opinion, made the same mistake as FIFA at WC1990 - rejecting (by far) the best referee for something fairly spurious, where the situation wasn’t black-and-white and they could easily have given the benefit of the doubt. And all this for what promises to be hardest AFCON final since 2006(?), in which CAF even chose to repeat a previous final referee to avoid problems; this time, the complete opposite. It is obvious that Waweru is a whole different category of risk than choosing Beida (or Sy), but to me it all feels like such an avoidable gamble by CAF, who will now have to roll the dice and wonder whether much of what they’ve deservedly won over the last month could now be un-done on Sunday night.

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    5. Yes it sound crazy to give kamaku the final but this nit the first time
      morocco and egypt u23 even he was var ref in tournament
      the refs still in afcon
      Maarouf beida kamaku karboubi sy omar muataz kalilu boh ismail jiyed (3place)

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    6. Ofr peter kamaku in afcon u23 morocco egypt 2023
      Clip 1:02
      https://youtu.be/SP_fyhMWcmM?si=Z632eyUaFVOA8epi

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    7. It was the only game for kamaku the final in tournament

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    8. Very very interesting on all counts, thank you as always(!!).

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    9. Thanks for the later comments - the video was geo-restricted (at least for me) so here is the full sequence for those interested:

      https://www.streambug.io/cv/6110cc

      At least in that tournament, there seems at least some rationale for giving him the final? A big home Mahgreb derby and better to use an experienced referee than to risk 'damaging' a younger one.

      But checking also also among the list of VARs who else could have been chosen under that 'heading' instead of the Kenyan, you can see Ghorbal, Beida...

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    10. Var final : ashor and mybe adel as avar1 or karboubi

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    11. Who was the best referee in wc 1990 Mikael ?

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    12. In terms of skills, it's not even close: Agnolin!
      Quiniou and Ramiz Wright were the best in terms of performances.

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  40. RDC SOUTH AFRICA
    Referee: REDOUANE JIYED (MAR)
    Assistant Referee 1: LAHCEN AZGOU (MAR)
    Assistant Referee 2: MOSTAFA AKRKAD (MAR)
    Fourth Official:BAMLAK TESSEMA (ETH)
    Reserve Assistant Referee:
    Video Assistant Referee: Benbraham Lahlou (ALG)
    Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: ISSA SY (SEN)

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  41. Still no info about who will lead the final match?

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    1. No information

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    2. Nothing official for now 3/4 and final they still talking maybe suprise us

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    3. Mauritanian Beida Dahane is the Final Referee

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    4. Adnane I think suprise

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    5. Beida Dahane? Source?

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    6. Fédération de Football de la Mauritanie in Twitter

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  42. Mybe we will some modifications between final abd 3 place

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  43. Dahane Beida🇲🇷
    Jerson Emiliano Dos Santos🇦🇴
    Diana Chicotesha 🇿🇲
    Karboubi Bouchra (F) Morocco 🇲🇦
    VAR / Mahmoud Ashour🇪🇬
    A VAR / Rivet Maria Pakuita 🇲🇺

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    Replies
    1. Best choice!

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    2. Very strange choice, my first explanation is that they wanted to pick a referee without any previous involvement with both teams. Mostly, main candidates for the final (the big names) who appeared either in QF or Round of 16, got challenging games with the final's teams involved. On the other hand, the path of Dahane Beida in this tournament didn't talk about a possible final. Very curious to see how he will perform.
      Bouchra Karboubi as fourth official is clearly an understandable choice.

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