While the President of The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) would be making his third appearance at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt, referee Bakary Papa Gassama will officiate for the first time at the continental summer showpiece event in the Group B decider between Madagascar and Nigeria in Alexandria.
As a member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Orgaising Committee for AFCON finals, Lamin Kabba Bajo has commissioned two previous matches in Group B and Sunday’s outing will be his third straight appearance. Former African Referee of the Year winner Papa Gassama will be given his first taste of action at the summer football jamboree and has been paired with his Gambian counterpart in the same game. Papa would be the central referee on the night.
Gassama was earlier scheduled to officiate the opening match of the competition between hosts Egypt and Zimbabwe but he was excused to miss that date in order to attend the burial of his mother who passed away in The Gambia last week. She was laid to rest at Lamin Kerewan the following day.