ASA: OFC match officials, Australian referee Matthew Breeze, as well as assistant referees Matthew Cream and Nathan Gibson, have been rewarded by FIFA for their excellent performances by being appointed to this weekends’ 3rd / 4th play-off final at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship. The play-off for the 3rd / 4th place will be played as the curtain-raiser to the final.
The match is their fourth and most prestigious appointment after the trio first controlled the Group E match between Saudi Arabia and Ireland in Al Ain then followed this with a Group D match between Japan and Colombia at the Al-Maktoum Stadium in Dubai and finally the Group F match between USA and Korea Republic in Abu Dhabi.
The FIFA appointment for the Australians caps a fantastic year for our refereeing ranks, with 2003 seeing 2 other significant international recognitions. Firstly, Australia’s representatives at the 2003 FIFA
Confederations Cup – referee Mark Shield and assistant referee Jim Ouliaris – were appointed to the 3rd / 4th play-off final between Colombia and Turkey at the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium, St Etienne, France on Saturday 28 June 2003.
In addition, three female Australian match officials – Brisbane based referee Tammy Ogston, as well as assistant referees’ Airlie Keen of Adelaide and Jacqueline Leleu of Rockhampton – were appointed to the 3rd / 4th play-off final at the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup between host nation United States and Canada, played at the Home Depot Center, Los Angeles on Saturday 11 October 2003.
Breeze, who comes from Sydney, Adelaide-based Cream and Gibson of Taree (NSW) are all making their first appearance at a FIFA international tournament.