The organizing committee of the Under-20 World Cup has appointed Italian referee Maurizio Mariani to officiate the final match between Morocco and Argentina. The match is scheduled for next Sunday at 20:00 local time, taking place at the Estadio Julio Martínez Prádanos in Santiago, Chile.
### Historic Encounter
Argentina, a six-time youth world champion, aims to secure its seventh title after defeating Colombia 1-0 in the semifinals. Meanwhile, the Moroccan team aspires to make history by reaching the finals for the first time, having triumphed over France in penalties.
### Experienced, Strict Referee
Mariani, 43, is one of Italy’s leading referees, officiating in Serie A since 2013. He has extensive experience in international tournaments, including the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Nations League, and Copa América.
While he has not officiated a match involving the senior Argentine national team, he previously refereed Argentina’s match in the current tournament, specifically in the Round of 16, where the “Albiceleste” won 4-0 against Nigeria without any refereeing disputes.
### High Card Average
The Italian referee is known for his strictness, averaging 4.6 yellow cards per match, while rarely issuing red cards. During three matches he has officiated in the current youth World Cup, he has shown 11 yellow cards with no red cards issued.
### Assistant Referees
Mariani will be accompanied by an assistant referee team consisting of Italians Daniele Brindon and Alberto Tegoni. Americans Joe Dickerson and Logan Brown will serve as the fourth and fifth officials, respectively.
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