World soccer governing body FIFA has confirmed the appointment of Brazilian referee Sandro Meira Ricci as the man in the middle for Nigeria’s opening game at the 2018 World Cup against Croatia on Saturday.
The Brazilian civil servant went into the record books on June 15 2015 when he validated a goal in the France against Honduras clash using the goal line technology, the first time ever the technology was used to confirm a goal.
In the game between France and Honduras, the Honduran goalkeeper Noel Valladares dropped a shot from Karim Benzema into the goal for the first World Cup given by the technology.
Just as it was in 2014, he will be assisted by his compatriots, Emerson De Carvalho and Mercelo Van Gasse for the Saturday game which will be the opening game for both nations at the World Cup 2018, where they are both grouped in group D.
Ironically the game will be played a day after the fourth anniversary of his record breaking feat of 2014, and both nations will be hoping the technology, if used works in their favour during the course of the game.
Osas Mahawi
