WHY REF CAKIR IS A GOOD OMEN

ENGLAND will be happy with the appointment of referee Cuneyt Cakir for tomorrow’s semi-final against Croatia as they have never lost a game with him in charge. The Turkish official (right) has refereed England five times and overseen three wins, including a 3-0 victory over Scotland during qualifying for this World Cup. Cakir’s strict style should suit England, although he once sent off Steven Gerrard against Ukraine in 2012. It will be his third match in Russia after taking charge of Argentina’s 2-1 win over Nigeria and Iran’s 1-0 victory over Morocco in the group stages, booking a total of nine players. The 41-year-old is used to refereeing high-profile games having officiated Argentina’s World Cup semi-final win over Holland four years ago and Barcelona’s Champions League final triumph over Juventus a year later. However, he has been prone to controversy, infuriating Sir Alex Ferguson by sending off Nani for a high tackle in Manchester United’s defeat by Real Madrid in 2013. Mark Geiger, criticised for his handling of England’s win over Colombia, is one of 12 officials who have been retained by FIFA.