Nigeria’s Qassim Abdulsallam has been selected by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as one of the centre referees expected to officiate at the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).

Report says that CHAN is a biennial continental tournament meant solely for African players plying their trade in their countries’ various local national leagues.

Abdulsallam was the only Nigerian referee listed in the 65-man roaster of officials released by CAF on its website on Friday.

The tournament, the eighth in the series, is scheduled to hold in three countries: Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya, from Feb. 1 to Feb. 28.

This would be the first edition co-hosted by three different countries.

According to the statement on the CAF official website, Abdulsallam will join 25 other centre referees officiating at the championship.

The list also has 25 assistant referees and 14 Video Assistant Referees (VAR) officials for the tournament.

Abdulsallam distinguished himself in the second leg of the CHAN qualifier between Niger and Cote d’ivoire at the Bamako Stade, 26 Mars on Saturday.

The Zamfara State Referees’ Council member, was among the referees who went to the CHAN course preparations exercise in Cairo in late 2024.

Abdulsallam was also on the list of match officials invited for the WAFU U-20 qualifiers held earlier in Togo.

The Super Eagles B team qualified for the 2024 CHAN

Interestingly, this latest feat is coming six years after the Super Eagles last appeared at the biennial continental tournament.

Nigeria thrashed Ghana 3-1 in a second-leg final qualifying fixture at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Saturday, after playing out a goalless draw in the first leg in Ghana a week earlier, to book a berth to the eighth edition of the championship. (NAN)

Arsenal showed they can cope without the injured Bukayo Saka as they began the year in style by recovering from an early sucker-punch to beat Brentford 3-1 away from home.

The result ensured that they moved back into second place in the English Premier League on Wednesday.

Forward Saka, arguably Arsenal’s most influential player this season, has been ruled out for at least two months after hamstring surgery, dealing a blow to the club’s title hopes.

A visit to a Brentford side who have been impressive at home this season felt like a must-win game for Arsenal.

However, things began badly as Bryan Mbeumo gave his side a 13th minute lead with the home side’s first attack.

Arsenal did not panic, though, and Gabriel Jesus continued his recent resurgence to equalise before halftime.

Mikel Arteta’s side came out firing in the second half and Mikel Merino put them ahead five minutes after the restart after Brentford failed to deal with a corner.

Three minutes later Gabriel Martinelli produced a clinical volleyed finish to put Arsenal in complete control.

The victory lifted Arsenal above Chelsea and Nottingham Forest with 39 points from 19 games with leaders Liverpool on 45 from 18.

Injury-hit Brentford’s second home defeat of the season left them in 12th spot with 24 points from 19 games.

Defeat would have left Arsenal nine points behind Liverpool, who also have a game in hand, but the way they reacted to going behind suggests they can still be a factor in the title race.

Arteta will also have been impressed with 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri after handing him a first Premier League start.

“I think the team showed a lot of composure. To keep insisting, keep attacking them,” Arteta, whose side are unbeaten in 11 games in all competitions, said.

“We can only win our next match and see what happens. It’s not in our hands, but what is in our hands we need to make sure we do it.”

Arsenal did not lose a London derby in 2024 and have started off in similar fashion.

They were caught cold, though, when Brentford burst forward in the 13th minute and Mbeumo was given too much space to cut in from the right and fire a shot past David Raya.

Raya was almost left red-faced soon after when he allowed a Mbeumo shot to burst through his gloves but he managed to race back and claw the ball off the line.

It proved a pivotal moment as less than a minute later Brentford were guilty of failing to clear the ball and it eventually arrived for Thomas Partey to fire a shot that was parried by Mark Flekken and Jesus dived to head in the rebound.

It was the Brazilian’s sixth goal in his last four games for Arsenal in all competitions, as many as in his previous 48 games for the club.

“I keep working and everyone at the club can tell how I work every day, not just me but everyone. I don’t give up and it is not easy to play for a big club like Arsenal,” Jesus said.

Arsenal’s efficiency from set-pieces was evident again early in the second half when a corner caused chaos in the area and Merino was able to fire home a loose ball.

Martinelli gave the visitors breathing space with a superb finish when the ball came out to him on the edge of the box.(Reuters/NAN)

The following are the results of Match Day 19 fixtures in the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), played on Sunday and  dates of the remaining fixtures:

El kanemi Warriors FC 1-0 Kano pillars FC

Niger Tornadoes FC 0-1 Enugu Rangers FC

Ikorodu city FC 2-1 sunshine Stars FC

Lobi Stars FC 0-0 Heartland FC

Katsina  United FC  1-0 Nasarawa United FC

Shooting Stars FC 1-0  Kwara United FC

Remo Stars FC 2-1 Akwa United FC

The following are for Match Day 19 fixtures to be played on Dec.

Rivers United FC Vs Plateau United FC

Enyimba International FC Vs Bendel Insurance FC on Dec.