Gift Chicco handed Confederation Cup assignment
Fifa Grade One referee Gift Chicco, has been selected as centre referee for a Caf Confederation Cup match between Association Sportive de Kigali and CS Sfaxien slated for Regional Kigali Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda, on February 20.
Tunisian side Sfaxien have won the cup and the Caf Champions League on several occasions.
Chicco will be assisted by compatriots Clemence Kanduku and Innocent Kaundula as first and second assistant referee, respectively.
Another Malawian, Gift Nkhakananga, has been selected as fourth official for the match.
Burundian Mustapha Samugabo will be the match commissioner whereas Jose Nyamusore, also from Burundi, is the game’s Covid Officer.
National Referees Association (NRA) General Secretary Chris Kalichero expressed happiness with the development.
“This is exciting news to us. We want this to continue. We encourage our referees to understand the laws of the game and also to be physically fit. But we are happy as a referees’ association. This is an indication of the high quality that is there among our referees,” Kalichero said.
Chicco has officiated several matches in Confederation of African Football competitions.
One of the matches was a Champions League encounter between Zambian side Napsa Stars and UD Songo of Mozambique in Zambia.
The matches have raised Chicco’s profile locally and internationally.
The other big match that the Malawian officiated was a Confederation Cup showdown between Angolan side Bravos Maguis and Association Sportive Etoile du Congo of Congo Brazzaville in Luanda in December.
Chicco’s compatriot, Ishmael Chizinga, has not been assigned any match after officiating a Champions League tie between Bantu FC of Lesotho and Zambian side Nkana FC in December.
Chizinga took charge of the match alongside Kanduku as first assistant referee whereas Innocent Kaundula was the second assistant. Nkhakananga was the reserve referee.
