Janny Sikazwe to Officiate CAF Champions League Final First Leg
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed Zambian referee Janny Sikazwe to officiate the first leg of the CAF Champions League final between AS Vita Club (DR Congo) and ES Sétif (Algeria). The highly anticipated clash will take place on October 26 at the Tata Raphaël Stadium in Kinshasa.
The return leg is scheduled for Blida, Algeria, at the Mustapha Tchaker Stadium, with Gambian referee Bakary Gassama in charge.
This appointment brings back memories for Algerian supporters, as Sikazwe faced heavy criticism from them during the 2014 World Cup play-off between Burkina Faso and Algeria, which many fans claimed he handled unfavorably. Now, by a twist of fate, he finds himself once again refereeing a high-stakes encounter involving an Algerian side against a sub-Saharan opponent.
With tensions and expectations running high, CAF will be counting on Sikazwe’s experience to manage the first leg of what promises to be a fiercely contested final.
