CAF appoints Burundian, Ethiopian to officiate APR, Rayon continental ties

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed Burundian and Ethiopian referees to handle APR and Rayon Sports’ return matches of the preliminary round of the Champions League and Confederation Cup due in mid-February in Kigali according to local football governing body FERWAFA. APR FC will host Zambia’s Zanaco FC at Amahoro Stadium on February 18, 2017. Burundian quartet of Pacifique Ndabihawenimana, Herve Kakunze, Gustave Baguma and Thierry Nkurunziza will be handling the match while Egyptian Ahmed Mohamed Megahed Osman will be the match commissioner. A day after, Rayon Sports will be hosting Al Salam Wau of South Sudan in the return leg of the preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup at Amahoro Stadium. Ethiopian quartet of Haileyesus Bazezew Belete, Kinfe Yilma Kinfe, Shewangizaw Tebabal Tadesse and Yemanabran Kassaun will be in charge of this game while Somalia’s Amir Abdi Hassan is the appointed match commissioner for this encounter. Both APR FC and Rayon Sports begin their continental club showpiece away to Zanaco FC and Al Salamu Wau in the first leg of the preliminary round respectively in the weekend of February 10-12. The winner between APR FC and Zanaco FC will face the winner of Ngaya de Mbe of Cameroon and Young Africans of Tanzania while the winner between Rayon Sports and Al Salamu Wau will take on the winner between Onze Createurs of Mali in the round of 16. The first leg matches will be hosted on the weekend of February 10-12, with the return leg due on February 18-19. The second-round fixtures will then be played on the weekends of March 11-13 and 17-19. The losers in the first round will drop to the CAF Confederations Cup where they take on teams in a two-legged play off for a chance to make the group stages. editorial@newtimes.co.rw