Algeria referee Benouza to handle Ghana/Malawi match
Experienced Algerian referee Mohamed Benouza will be at the helm of affairs during Saturday’s 2013 Africa Cup of Nations match between Ghana and Malawi.
Benouza, who turns 40 exactly 18-days after the Stars/Flames game will lead a quartet of Algerian match officials for the first leg clash of the final round.
Information gathered by GNA Sports indicates that the match officials breezed into town last Thursday for the crucial clash.
A businessman by profession, Benouza is ranked amongst the highly respected ‘Knights of the whistle’ on the continent, having officiated at every edition of the Africa Cup of Nations since 2006, five years after gaining his international badge.
He is no stranger to matches involving the Black Stars having supervised no less than four matches including the painful 0-1 loss to Zambia at the semi final of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
Benouza was also at the middle when Ghana silenced hosts Angola by a lone goal during the quarter final clash at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations as well as the 2-1 triumph over Nigeria at the quarter finals of the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations hosted in Ghana.
The Algerian was yet again the referee for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier between Ghana and Gabon in Libreville in June 2008 in Libreville which the Stars won 2-0.
He will be assisted by compatriots Bechirene Mohamed Chokri and Bitam Mohamed Mounir with Bichari Mohamed serving as the fourth official.
Nigerian Linus Mba will act as the Match Commissioner.
Source: GNA