A source within the Confederation of African Football (CAF), in exclusive statements to “Al Watan Sport,” unveiled the appointment of Chadian referee El Haj Alo Mohamed to officiate the crucial match between Egypt and Cape Verde in the third round of the Africa Cup of Nations group stage.
The source affirmed that the Referees Committee settled on El Haj Alo Mohamed to oversee this significant encounter for the Egyptian national team, where they seek victory to advance to the tournament’s Round of 16.
Who is El Haj Mohamed, the referee for Egypt vs. Cape Verde?
El Haj Mohamed, officiating the Egypt vs. Cape Verde match, is 37 years old, born on May 2, 1986. He acquired the FIFA international badge in 2012.
Despite his limited appearances, totaling 28 major matches in African competitions as a referee, he issued 73 yellow cards, averaging 2.6 cards per match, along with two direct red cards and two second yellow cards.
The Chadian referee has not officiated many high-profile matches, with his highest level of involvement being the semi-final of the 2021 African Nations Championship and the quarter-final clash between Enyimba and Wydad in the CAF Champions League.
Fourth Official in Al Ahly Matches
El Haj Mohamed has been seen as the fourth official in several matches involving Al Ahly.
Notably, he served in the quarter-final against Raja Casablanca in the previous edition of the CAF Champions League and the first-leg encounter against Wydad in the final, as well as the away leg against Mamelodi Sundowns in the CAF Champions League.
Solo Match with an Egyptian Team in AFCON
The Chadian referee, assigned to officiate the Egypt vs. Cape Verde match, previously refereed a single match involving an Egyptian team.
This occurred during the group stage of the Confederation Cup in the last edition, where he presided over the match between Future and ASKO Kara from Togo.
The game originally ended in a 1-1 draw, but Future lodged a complaint against ASKO Kara for fielding a suspended player, resulting in a 3-0 victory being awarded to the Egyptian side.
One Match in AFCON 2023
El Haj Alo Mohamed participated as a referee in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, officiating a single match between Morocco and Tanzania. Morocco secured a convincing 3-0 victory in the opening game of Group Six of the tournament.
