In the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final clash between Nigeria and Angola, the match will be under the watchful eyes of Senegalese referee, Issa Sy, at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan.
The encounter, scheduled for Friday, will see Djibril Camara and Nouha Bangoura as assistant referee 1 and assistant referee 2, with Abdel Aziz Bouh from Mauritania as the fourth official.
Modibo Samake of Mali will serve as the reserve assistant referee, while Ahmad Nazeer Hossen Bowud from Mauritius and Ali Mohamed Ahmed from Somalia will assume the roles of commissioner and referee assessor, respectively.
Kickoff is set for 5 pm Cote d’Ivoire time (6 pm Nigeria time), marking a rare occasion for Nigeria and Angola to face off on the football field.
Notable clashes in the past include Nigeria edging Angola in the qualification series for the 1990 FIFA World Cup finals, while Angola secured their single appearance at the World Cup by defeating Nigeria in 2006.
Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, is deemed fit to start the encounter, although Coach Jose Peseiro has hinted at exercising caution, not risking Nwabali if he is not fully prepared for the tie.
The victor of this clash will advance to face the winner between Cape Verde’s Blue Sharks and South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in the semi-finals at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake.
The anticipation builds as the journey towards AFCON glory continues.