Algerian Referees Appointed for Crucial Togo-Ghana Clash
For the high-stakes 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Togo and Ghana this Wednesday in Lomé, an Algerian refereeing team has been appointed to officiate.
Mohamed Benouza will serve as the main referee, assisted by Bouabdellah Omari, Mokrane Gourari, and Mokhtar Amalou—all from Algeria. Both teams come into the match needing a win after disappointing results in their opening qualifiers: Togo drew 0-0 at home against Ghana and then lost 2-1 to Guinea, while Ghana managed only a 1-1 draw with Uganda.
Benouza’s appointment is controversial, as he recently officiated the JS Kabylie (JSK) vs USM Alger derby in which Cameroonian player Albert Ebossé tragically died after the match. JSK president Cherif Hannachi publicly blamed Benouza for the incident, citing disputed referee decisions that impacted the game’s outcome.
