Rwandan refs to handle Botswana vs Togo CAN qualifier

THE Confederation of African Cup has named three Rwandan referees to handle Group K Africa Nations Cup qualifier between Botswana and Togo due in Windhoek on Saturday. The trio include centre referee Janvier Kiroha Kalimba, who will be assisted by Celestin Ntagungira and Felicien Kabanda. Among the three, Ntagungira is the only referee who has officiated at the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Cup respectively. Botswana currently lead Group K on seven points and enjoy a four-point lead over second placed Tunisia whom they beat 1-0 away in Tunis in both sides opening qualifying match on July 1. The Zebras are unbeaten in Group K from their opening three matches from which they have won two and drawn one. The 11 group winners, as well as the second placed-team from this group in which Togo will be playing will qualify for the tournament, as well as the two best runners-up. They join co-hosts Gabon and Equatorial-Guinea at the 16-team finals. Togo were originally banned from competing in the competition after they pulled out of the 2010 Nations Cup in Angola following a deadly attack on their team bus, but were reinstated after appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. They will now be competing in a five-team group, which comprises Tunisia, Malawi, Botswana and Chad. Following Mauritania’s withdrawal from group K, the two best-runners up will be determined by taking into account the matches against the first and third-placed teams in the group. Ends

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Rwandan refs to handle Botswana vs Togo CAN qualifier