Finland’s best ref for Falcons, Canada opener

<p>World football body, FIFA, has named Finnish referee, Lina Lehtovaara, to officiate the opening Group B game between Nigeria and Canada in the early hours of Friday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.</p>, <p>The Falcons take on the reigning Olympic champions at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne at 3:30am.</p>, <p>Lehtovaara, 42, will be assisted by Chrysoula Kourompylyia (assistant referee 1) from Greece, Karolin Kaivoja (assistant referee 2) from Estonia and Romania’s Luliana Demetrescu (fourth Official).</p>, <p>In 2022, Lehtovaara officiated the 2022 UEFA Women’s Champions League final between Barcelona and Olympique Lyon. She was also one of the referees at the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022.</p>, <p>Lehtovaara was awarded the Referee of The Year by the Football Association of Finland in 2015/6 and 2018/21.</p>, <p>She officiates the Finnish women’s premier division and the men’s second and third tiers division.</p>