Sports

CAF Appoints Egyptian Referee For Rivers United, El Nasr Confederation Cup Game

Egyptian referee Mohamed Maarouf Eid Mansour has been appointed by Africa’s football ruling body, the Confederation of Africa Football, CAF to officiate Rivers United’s Confederation’s Cup playoff first leg tie against El Nasr Benghazi reports Prime Business Africa.

The match will hold at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Rivers State on Wednesday, November 2.

The 35-year-old will be assisted by compatriots, Mohamed Abouzid Halhal (Assistant I), Ahmed Hossam Eldin (Assistant II) and Mohamed Adel Elsaid Hussien (Fourth referee).

Prince Kai Saquee from Sierra Leone will serve as Match Commissioner, Mendy John John Frank from Gambia as Referee assessor while Ozi Salami Abdulrahim works as COVID-19 Officer.

The Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL champions and El Nasr Benghazi will be facing off for the first time at club level on Wednesday in the Total Energies CAF Confederation’s Cup additional playoff round 1st leg encounter that promises lots of fireworks.

According to Rivers United Media Officers, Charles Mayuku, kick-off of the game is scheduled for 2pm Nigerian time.

Unconfirmed report as at the time of this report indicate that the stadium’s gate could be opened to the fans to watch free of charge in a bid to drum up massive support for the Nigerian side.

Rivers United failed to advance to the Group stages of the CAF Champions League matches against Wydad Athletic in the third round of qualifiers to the money spinning competition.

The players of the ‘Pride of Rivers’ consequently missed out on the $40,000.00 largesse promised to them by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.

Izuchukwu Okosi

Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc. In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio. He worked there for 13 years until October 2017. Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch. He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations. Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line. Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.