Lesotho’s Phatšoane to officiate second CAFCL final

Decorated Lesotho Football Association Assistant Referee Souru Phatšoane is set to acquire legendary status in continental football following the appointment to officiate his second CAF Champions League final.

Phatšoane has been named in a team of match officials tasked by the Confederation of African Football to handle the second leg of the CAF Champions final when Egyptian giants, Al Ahly hosts ES Tunis of Tunisia at Cairo International Stadium on May 25.

The two giants from north Africa will square-off in the first leg of the final at the Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi this Saturday as they battle it out to be crowned champions of prestigious club competition in the continent.

The Lesotho star referee has already inked his name among the continent’s best assistant referees of his generation having officiated the final of every major competition in the continent.

The Tšenola born match official became first Mosotho to officiate the final of the biggest football competition in Africa, when he was paired with South Africa duo of now retired Victor Gomes and Zakhela Siwela, where they officiated the final of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

Phats’oane high profile stature has continued to rise over the last few years, where in 2021, he officiated the final of both the CAF Confederations Cup and Africa Cup of Nations and later, the final of the CAF Champions League.

He in 2021 rewrote the history books becoming the first Lesotho referee to officiate at the Olympic games held in Tokyo and followed it with another milestone, becoming the first Mosotho to officiate at the FIFA World Cup during the tournament held in Qatar.

The officiating team for the Champions League final will be led by Jean-Jacques Ngambo Ndala of Dr Congo as the central referee and will be flanked by Phats’oane as the first assistant referee and Seydou Tiama of Burkina Faso as the second referee along with fourth official and match commissioner from Chad and Morocco respectively.