The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed Moroccan Jalal Jayed as referee for Sunday’s Africa Under-20 Cup of Nations Group A battle between seven-time champions Nigeria and Senegal.

In the match scheduled for the Cairo International Stadium, Jayed will be assisted by Tunisian Mohamed Bakir (assistant referee 1), Algerian Hamza Bouzit (assistant referee 2) and Ivorian Clement Kpan.

The match will kick off at 7:00 p.m. Egypt time (6:00 p.m. Nigeria time), three hours after the tournament’s opening game between hosts Egypt and Mozambique at the same venue.

While Hussein Jenayah from Tunisia will be the match commissioner, Burundian Jean Birumushahu will serve as referee assessor, and Imade El Fahouss from Morocco will be the general coordinator.

Meanwhile, the Flying Eagles of Nigeria had their first official training session in Cairo on Friday.

According to Ademola Olajire, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) spokesperson, the training was at the Jewel Hotel training field.  

Nigeria, two-time FIFA World Cup silver-medallists and one-time bronze medallist, will be gunning for an eighth continental title at the finals in Egypt.

They take on host nation Egypt and Mozambique in other games in Group A.

Only the four top-placed teams at the 12-nation tournament will qualify to represent Africa at this year’s FIFA Under-20 World Cup finals in Indonesia from May 20 to June 11.

Meanwhile, the Flying Eagles’ training, under the supervision of Head Coach Ladan Bosso and his technical team, lasted 90 minutes on Friday.

The session focused on players’ recovery after the Friday trip from Casablanca to Cairo.  

Another session is expected to be held on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. local time (7:30 p.m. Nigeria time). 

Olajire added that Belgium-based Ahmed Abdullahi had joined the Flying Eagles’ squad in Cairo.

The KAA Gent forward arrived in Cairo in the early hours of Friday morning. 

Abdullahi was part of the team which emerged as WAFU B Under-20 champions in the Niger Republic in May.

The forward scored one goal at the regional tournament despite injury ruling him out after he suffered a head injury during a match with Burkina Faso.

He is expected to offer more attacking options upfront to Bosso.

(NAN)