MOSCOW: Nestor Pitana of Argentina has been assigned as the referee for Thursday’s Opening Match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup between  Russia and Saudi Arabia at the Luzhniki Stadium here in Moscow writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

He will be assisted by compatriots Juan Pablo Bellati and Hernan Maidana, with Sandro Ricci from Brazil designated as the fourth official.

The video assistant referee team is composed by Massimiliano Irrati of Italy (VAR); Mauro Vigliano of Argentina (AVR 1); Carlos Astroza of Chile (AVR2) and Daniele Orsato, Italy (AVR3).

Pitana will thus become the second Argentinian referee to participate in two World Cups after Norberto Coerezza, who oversaw two games in 1970 and one in 1978.

He made his debut in the Argentinian league in 2007 and officiated his first international match in 2010. At the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, he oversaw four fixtures including France-Germany in the quarterfinals.

Pitana returned to Brazil in 2016 for the Olympic Football Tournament where he was the man in the middle for the semi-final between Germany and Nigeria. A year later in 2017, he was involved in another semi-final, in the FIFA Confederations Cup between Germany and Mexico.

###############