Portuguese referee to handle Ghana/Uruguay game

Abdulai M. Gariba, GNA Special Correspondent, Johannesburg, SA

Johannesburg, July 1, GNA - The world soccer governing body, Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) has appointed Portuguese Referee Olegario Benquerenca for the Ghana-Uruguay quarter-final clash.

The Black Stars, the only surviving African team at the South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup, will lock horns with their counterparts from Uruguay on Friday, July 2 at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg for a place at the last four of the competition.

Benquerenca, 41, an Insurance Agent, will direct affairs in the encounter, whose outcome could see the Black Stars becoming the first African team to reach the semis in the history of the World Cup.

The multi-linguist, who speaks English, French, Spanish and Portuguese, and a member of the prestigious "FIFA Elite Referees Club", has earlier been in charge of the Japan-Cameroon and Nigeria-Korea Republic at the group stages.

The only time the World Cup debutant and Former Politician has handled a game involving a Ghanaian side was during the third place match at the Korea 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup in which Germany beat the Black Starlets 2-1. He would be assisted by compatriots Jose Cardinal and Bertino Miranda with Spanish duo, Alberto Undiano and Fermin Martinez serving as the fourth official and reserve assistant referee, respectively.