Sharif Mussa back in football spotlight

Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
AFTER a long break stretching over six months, it will be back to CAF business for former Warriors manager, Sharif Mussa, this weekend.

He joins a cast of experts that will officiate on Match Day One of the Champions League group stage.
Mussa has been appointed by CAF to be the general coordinator in the high-profile encounter between 2016 champions Mamelodi Sundowns and serial Angolan football kings Atletico Petroleos de Luanda. The match is set for Sundowns’ favourite hunting ground Loftus Versfeld in Tshwane on Saturday night (9pm).

Egyptian referee, Gehad Gerisha, will take charge of the game.
Mussa, who started as a liaison officer in the early days of what was to be a long romance with the Warriors spanning over 15 years, has seen his profile rise at CAF.

“It is always humbling when you get a big institution like CAF considering your input into continental football and asking you to do all the groundwork to ensure a Champions League match doesn’t encounter any glitches from an organisational point of view,’’ said Mussa.

“I will once again do my best in executing my duties.
“As you may be aware, it is all a team effort, not just the match co-ordinator’s role, to ensure the game proceeds smoothly.
“It’s always a joy to put Zimbabwe on the map. I am delighted with the appointment but I am even more delighted that it is more about the country.

“I am also happy for my colleague, Xolisani Gwesela, who is also flying the country’s flag on a similar mission.’’
Both FIFA and CAF now attach great importance on the general co-ordinators in their competitions.

Next week, a panel of local referees, led by Philani Ncube, will head to Conakry to officiate in the Champions League clash between Horoya of Guinea and Libya’s El Nasry on December 7.

Salani Ncube and Edgar Rumeck will be the assistants while Brighton Chimene will be the reserve referee.
On the same weekend, Gwesela will be travelling in Angola as general co-ordinator of the encounter between Atletico and Algerian giants USM Alger in Luanda.