Senegal referee Maguette Ndiaye makes lowkey return to official competition

Senegalese referee Maguette Ndiaye last officiated in Bafana Bafana's controversial defeat to Ghana on November 14 which led to SAFA lodging an appeal with FIFA over the way the match was handled.

The appeal was then dismissed by the world governing body.

Ndiaye was not handed any CAF assignments since then though he was then selected amongst the referees for the ongoing AFCON finals and remains amongst one of six candidate whistle man for the World Cup later this year.

=7. Siphiwe Tshabalala, Steven Pienaar, Mbulelo Mabizela, Kagisho Dikgacoi, Dean Furman, Andile Jali, Tokelo Rantie & Teboho Mokoena – 2 goals each

2. Philemon Masinga – 6 goals

=5. Benni McCarthy – 3 goals

=5. Delron Buckley – 3 goals

4. Sibusiso Zuma – 4 goals

1. Shaun Bartlett – 7 goals

3. Bernard Parker – 5 goals

He marks his return to the international fold tonight as a fourth official in the Group D tie between Sudan and Guinea-Bissau.

Sudan and Guinea-Bissau are ranked in the bottom half of all countries at the competition this year. 

Running the whistle in the middle will be another Senegalese Issa Sy assisted by El Hadji Samba.

Samba was on the line in that match between Bafana and Ghana in Cape Coast along with Djibril Camara who was the Assistant VAR official for tonight's game at the Stade Omnisport Roumde Adjia in Garoua.

Maguette is a Senegalese school teacher being monitored at the AFCON ahead of the World Cup.

He handled 10 international matches last year and has also officiated at the FIFA Club World Cup and FIFA Under-20 World Cup.

For the first time this year, all 52 games at the tournament will use VAR after it was only used from the quarterfinals at the 2019 edition in Egypt.

CAF has selected 24 referees to officiate at the AFCON finals this year.