ZUL-QA’ADAH 24 1430 A.H.
THURSDAY NOVEMBER . 12 2009.
Print This Page 
Uzbekistani to handle Nigeria/Spain s/final encounter
World football body FIFA yesterday announced that Uzbekistani referee Ravshan Irmatov would handle today’s Nigeria/Spain semi-final match in the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The match is slated for the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.
FIFA’s Communications and Public Affairs Department also named 36-year-old teacher Rafael Ilyasov, also an Uzbekistani, as the Assistant Referee I.
Bahadyr Kochkarov, 39, of Kyrgyzstan will be Assistant Referee II, while Carlos Amarilla of Paraguay is the Fourth Official.
Oceania referees and an African are to take charge of the first semi-final match between Switzerland and Colombia at the same venue.
Michael Hester, a 37-year-old naval officer from New Zealand, is the centre referee while his compatriot, 33-year-old trade manager Jan-Hendrik Hintz is the First Assistant Referee.
Tevita Makasini, a 33-year-old teacher from Tonga Islands, is the Second Assistant Referee, while Koman Coulibaly, a 39-year-old finance inspector from Mali is the Fourth Official.
Meanwhile, the winners of the two matches will head to Sunday’s final in Abuja while the losers will play fir the third place also on Sunday.
The Chairman of the Technical Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Taiwo Ogunjobi, said in Abuja on Wednesday that the current U-17 national team would be promoted to the U-20 national team.
Ogunjobi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the federation was impressed with the performance of the team at the Nigeria 2009 U-17 World Cup tournament.
He said that this informed the federation’s decision to promote the entire team, including its coach, John Obuh, to the U-20 national team.
``This promotion is aimed at ensuring continuity.
``Let the team grow together as a team and serve the nation in other categories as well,'' Ogunjobi said.
He said that the federation had planned the same for coach Yemi Teller who led the team in 2007 before he died.
Obuh, team to be promoted to U-20 national team -- NFF.
