Melki and Chavani appointed for CHAN 2024 Group B fixtures

Matchday four of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) Group B takes place on Wednesday, 13 August, with two fixtures scheduled.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed that Tunisian official Mehrez Melki and South Africa’s Jelly Alfred Chavani will oversee the day’s matches.

The first game will see Madagascar face the Central African Republic at 14:00 GMT. Melki will take charge of the contest, leading a refereeing team assembled from across the continent.

Rwandan Dieudonné Mutuyimana will serve as first assistant referee, while Nigerian Abdoul Aziz Yacouba has been appointed as second assistant. Togolese official Aklesso Gnama will act as fourth official.

Video assistance for the encounter will be managed by Gabonese referee Pierre Atcho, supported by Ethiopian VAR assistant Bamlak Tessema.

The appointments reflect CAF’s approach of drawing from a diverse pool of officials to ensure neutrality and high refereeing standards during the tournament.

The day’s second fixture, scheduled for 17:00 GMT, will be Mauritania’s final outing in the group stage as they take on Burkina Faso. Chavani will be the match referee, assisted by Botswana’s Lucky Kegakologetswe on the first line and Gambian Abdul Aziz Bollel Jallow as second assistant. Zambian official Brighton Chimene will serve as fourth official.

For VAR duties, Egyptian Mahmoud Ashor will lead the team, with Sudan’s Yasir Ahmed Abdalaziz providing additional support.

The appointments aim to ensure that both matches are officiated with consistency and in line with CAF’s standards for the competition.

With the group stage approaching its conclusion, today’s fixtures could prove decisive in shaping the standings in Group B. Both games will not only test the teams’ ambitions but also the referees’ ability to manage matches that may carry significant qualification implications.

CAF’s detailed appointment of match officials, spanning multiple nations, is intended to reinforce transparency and fairness, while highlighting the collaborative nature of officiating at major continental tournaments.

The involvement of experienced referees such as Melki and Chavani underscores the governing body’s commitment to maintaining the highest levels of professionalism throughout CHAN 2024.