After refereeing a football match between Stade Tunisien and Union Monastir on Sunday, a quartet of women led by International Tunisian referee Dorsaf Ganoiati made history, becoming the first in the region to run a second division football match. 

Before the game, local media had reported that 3 other women, Amal Hached, Houda Afine and Emna Ajbouni would be joining Ganoiati, who was assigned the role of lead referee by Tunisia's football association.

In an interview Ganoiati had given in recent months she said that "some of the players are initially shocked to see a woman referee, but they soon forget about it and focus on their match." 

Not letting stereotypes deter them, Ganoaiti and her colleagues are now breaking the stigma that surrounds women in football - a male dominated sport. 

A rising star in Arab sport

Ganoaiti, a physical education teacher and a former football player, became a referee in 2012. 

According to Bahrain News Agency, "the 33-year-old had previously refereed men’s matches in lower divisions as a PE teacher." 

She is considered a rising star in the field and says that she looks "forward to refereeing top-flight matches in Tunisia and international games abroad," in the near future. 

Way to go Dorsaf!