DESPITE Bafana Bafana elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations, referee Victor Gomes will raise Mzansi’s flag when he takes charge of the final showdown between Senegal and Algeria.
The match is scheduled for Friday (9pm) at Cairo International Stadium.
Gomes is one of two South Africans referees chosen to represent the nation, the other being assistant referee Zakhele Siwela.
However, the decision is likely to be met with criticism after Gomes received some backlash for his mistake in the round of 16 match between Ghana and Tunisia.
Gomes won't have many fans in Ghana after he disallowed what appeared to be a legitimate goal from Andre Ayew against Tunisia, and the Black Stars were eventually bundled out of the tournament following a penalty shootout loss.
Nonetheless, the South African has never given in to his critics, widely reknowned for his no-nonsense approach, especially on the continent.His most recent contribution was as a fourth official in the semi-final between Nigeria and Algeria.
Algeria booked their spot in the final by beating Nigeria 2-1 in the semifinal, through a last-minute Riyad Mahrez’s free-kick.
