Local referee Joshua Bondo will officiate an AFCON 2015 Qualifier between Rwanda and Libya this weekend. The tightly contested fixture will determine the passage of either nation to the next round of the preliminary stages.
The first leg encounter between the two ended in a goalless draw in Tripoli, Libya a fortnight ago. Officiating the match will enhance Bondo’s credentials as he continues his ascendancy towards the upper echelon of referees in Africa.
Bondo is the only Motswana referee in FIFA’s Elite A roster and this has helped him officiate high profile matches such as CAF Champions League, AFCON Qualifiers and World Cup Qualifying games. The highly rated referee could become the first local referee to officiate in an AFCON tournament next year if he continues to impress CAF’s referees’ committee; so far he has a good rapport with the refereeing body.
The 36- year -old referee has officiated games involving both Rwanda and Libya in recent years. In 2011 he officiated a preliminary 2014 World Cup Qualifier between Rwanda and Eritrea while last year he officiated Libya’s World Cup Qualifier against DRC. Edwin Senai, the National Referees Committee chairman, welcomed Bondo’s CAF appointment and revealed that Bondo is ranked eighth in the continent’s best referees.
“We are proud as a refereeing body to have our officials involved in such important matches, it highlights our growth and encourages us to continue nurturing our officials. The Botswana Football Association has also helped us by increasing the number of match commissioners. Bondo is doing very well and he is in the top eight referees in the continent and that is something we are all proud of,” said Senai.
He also stated that Glenda Mokoka and Phodiso Rasetshoga underwent a CAF course recently. Senai could also become a CAF instructor in the near future. Meanwhile CAF has selected local referees Tirelo Mositwane, Kitso Sibanda and Keamogetse Goitsemodimo to officiate in the ongoing 2014 Africa Youth Games.