The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed a refereeing team from Lesotho to officiate the CAF Champions League second-leg preliminary round encounter between Nigeria’s Enugu Rangers and Algeria’s MC Alger.
The highly anticipated fixture is scheduled for Friday evening at the Shaheed Ali Amar Stadium, popularly known as Ali La Pointe Stadium, in Douera, Algeria.
CAF’s Referees Committee has named Retselitse Tsietse David David Molisi as the centre referee for the decisive encounter, with compatriots Kele Soro Fatswani and Siza Shawn Shawn Dngamandla Siza appointed as assistant referees.
Sivafathi Adam will serve as the fourth official, completing the Lesotho officiating team for the continental fixture.
The appointment comes as both teams prepare for a crucial battle, with a place in the next stage of Africa’s premier club competition at stake.
Rangers will be seeking to overcome the challenge posed by the Algerian side and keep their continental campaign alive, while MC Alger will look to capitalise on home advantage to secure progression.
The return-leg fixture follows a tense first-leg encounter at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta, Nigeria, where Rangers and MC Alger battled in a match that produced late drama.
Rangers scored through Igboke in the 87th minute before Eno James added another goal in the 90th minute. However, the Nigerian champions also suffered a setback after their goalkeeper was sent off.
The incidents during the first-leg encounter attracted CAF’s attention, with the continental governing body initiating a review of the match events.
With emotions expected to run high in the return leg, the appointed officials will be under pressure to maintain discipline, ensure fair play and manage the contest in accordance with CAF’s regulations.
For Rangers, the encounter represents an important test of their resilience and ability to compete away from home against an experienced North African opponent.
MC Alger, meanwhile, will be determined to make the most of their home support and secure a favourable result in front of their supporters.
The Lesotho refereeing team will therefore play a crucial role in ensuring that the match is conducted fairly as both sides battle for a place in the next round of the CAF Champions League.
