South Africa vs Nigeria: Controversial referee to decide Super Eagles’ World Cup fate

Nigeria’s World Cup hopes have taken a dramatic twist as FIFA has appointed Gabonese referee Pierre Ghislain Atcho to officiate the Super Eagles’ do-or-die clash against South Africa next Tuesday in Bloemfontein.

For a team hanging on by the thinnest of threads in Group C, the choice of referee has raised plenty of eyebrows.

Atcho, just 31 years old, already carries a reputation that makes many in West Africa uneasy. His name became infamous at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where he was slammed for a stormy performance in the last-16 tie between Ivory Coast and Senegal.

In that fiery match, he was accused of failing to punish Sadio Mané for a reckless tackle, overlooking a clear penalty shout for the Ivorians, and ignoring Senegal’s own appeals for a spot-kick. The backlash was so intense that he was not appointed to another match for the rest of the tournament.

Now, Atcho is back on the big stage with Nigeria’s future on the line. He will not be alone in Bloemfontein, with fellow Gabonese officials Boris Marlaise Ditsoga and Amos Abeigne Ndong acting as linesmen, while Cregue Fleury Moukagni acts as fourth official.

Uganda’s Mike Letti will serve as match commissioner, with Olivier Safari Kabene of DR Congo overseeing as referee assessor.

For the Super Eagles, who already feel cornered in Group C, the assignment of such a polarising referee could add unnecessary drama to an already high-stakes showdown.

Nigeria’s qualifying campaign has been rocky, and the pressure is only mounting. Eric Chelle’s men sit fourth in Group C, nine points behind South Africa, who tightened their grip at the summit with a 3-0 win over Lesotho. That victory gave Bafana Bafana momentum and put Nigeria in a must-win situation.

The Eagles cannot afford slip-ups, especially after being tasked with defeating Rwanda in Uyo on Saturday before even thinking about Bloemfontein.

The Rwanda tie itself carries its own set of challenges, with Chadian referee Allaou Mahamat appointed to oversee proceedings.

He will be assisted by compatriots Bogollah Issa, Moussa Hafiz, and Abdelkerim Ousmane, while Egypt’s Taher Abdelsalam Mahmoud acts as assessor and Gambia’s Bakary Jammeh serves as commissioner.

Nigeria has no margin for error, as failure to beat Rwanda would effectively slam the door on their World Cup dreams before the team even boards a plane to South Africa.