2026 World Cup Qualifier: Controversial referee red flag for Bafana Bafana vs Nigeria

CapeTalk and 702's Africa Melane speaks to Masebe Qina, a journalist at Soccer Laduma. 

Listen below:

Bafana Bafana are gearing up for their FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Nigeria on Tuesday, 9 September, at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.

Kick off is at 6 pm. The match will be broadcast on SABC Sport.

"This is a very crucial match," says Qina.

Fans and soccer analysts are not happy about Gabonese Pierre Ghislain Atcho, who was chosen as referee for the match. 

Qina believes appointing Atcho as the referee adds to the tension of the match, which is believed to be a blockbuster.

Atcho, a mere 31 years old, is already well-known in football circles, particularly in West Africa, for his controversial officiating decisions. His reputation took a significant hit during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where he became a focal point of criticism following a tumultuous last-16 match between Senegal and the Ivory Coast.

It was in that match that Atcho faced a storm of backlash for failing to sanction superstar Sadio Mané for a dangerous challenge, disregarding a clear penalty appeal from the Ivory Coast, and similarly neglecting Senegal’s own claims for a spot-kick.

The outrage was so profound that CAF withdrew him from officiating any further games in the tournament.

"This is a crucial match between nations that are rivals. This is a controversial referee, and for matches like this, you don't need such a referee... You need someone neutral. What we expect from this game is the players and team showing what they can do on the pitch instead of us focusing on what happens off the pitch."

- Masebe Qina, journalist - Soccer Laduma

However, some believe the match is an opportunity for the controversial referee to redeem himself.

"We stand a chance to win... they haven't been a very good team, Nigeria... we are on a good run and I don't see them slipping off."

- Masebe Qina, journalist - Soccer Laduma

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