2015 AFRICA CUP QUALIFIERS - GROUP STAGE - 5TH MATCHES - PREVIEW
Saturday's Nations Cup qualifiers
• Malawi vs Mali 2:0 (in Blantyre)
• South Africa vs Sudan 2:1 (in Durban)
• Uganda vs Ghana 1:0 (in Kampala)
• Angola vs Gabon -:- (in Luanda)
• Cameroon vs DR Congo 1:0 (in Yaounde)
• Lesotho vs Burkina Faso 0:1 (in Maseru)
• Mozambique vs Zambia 0:1 (in Maputo)
• Congo vs Nigeria 0:2 (in Point-Noire)
• Cape Verde vs Niger -:- (Praia)
• Togo vs Guinea -:- (in Lome)
• Egypt vs Senegal -:- (in Cairo)
• Algeria vs Ethiopia -:- (in Blida)
South Africa, Cameroon, Ghana, Gabon and Congo go into Saturday's penultimate round of qualifiers for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations knowing they are one win away from booking their place at next year's finals.
There are 12 fixtures to be played, while the other two games - Sierra Leone vs Ivory Coast and Botswana vs Tunisia - were scheduled for Friday.
The games will come only a day after the Confederation of African Football named Equatorial Guinea as hosts of next year's tournament, replacing Morocco who had been refused a request to postpone the 17 January to 8 February event because of fears over Ebola.
Morocco have been barred from playing at the relocated tournament, but Equatorial Guinea will compete despite having been disqualified during the preliminary matches for fielding an ineligible player.
Alongside the hosts, Algeria , Cape Verde and Tunisia have booked their places having already built up an unassailable lead in the groups.
And they could be joined by up to seven more teams by the end of play on Saturday.
GROUP A
South Africa are top of Group A and face bottom club Sudan in Bafana Bafana's first match since the murder of goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa.
They switched the match to Meyiwa's home town of Durban as a tribute to the man who captained South Africa in their first four Nations Cup qualifiers without conceding a goal.
"I think it's going to be very important for us to win this game because it will be a befitting send-off for the late Senzo," said coach 'Shakes' Mashaba, whose team would not even need to win to qualify if third-placed Nigeria fail to beat Congo in Pointe-Noire.
"One other thing we have been preaching is that the spirit of our late captain prevails in the team.
"Everybody has to have this mentality that we have to play to the best of our abilities like the late Senzo had been doing."
Nhlanhla Khuzwayo, Darren Keet and Siyabonga Mpontshane are now battling to be named in goal for the late Meyiwa.
Striker Sibusiso Vilakazi has pulled out of the squad with a toe injury, while May Mahlangu said he is too tired to play for his country and he has subsequently been banned from the national team.
In the same group, African champions Nigeria are in serious danger of missing out on the finals after they lost to Congo and Sudan.
The Super Eagles, who have reinstated coach Stephen Keshi and recalled Villarreal striker Ikechukwu Uche, lost to Saturday's opponents Congo 3:2 at home in September and now need to beat them by at least two clear goals to stay in the reckoning for automatic qualification.
Keshi told BBC Sport: "We have to avoid conceding goals, be tight at the back and score the goals that will earn us a big win.
They scored three here and nothing stops us from doing the same over there.
"Now is time for business and we have to get the job done and no kidding with players and officials.
Now is time for action and less talk.
I know somehow we will make to the finals and retain our trophy."
Congo are second in the group with seven points and have two match winners in Ferebory Dore, who has scored three goals in the qualifying series, and Spain-based star Thievy Bifouma, who netted a brace and provided an assist as the Red Devils stunned Nigeria in Calabar.
They will book their place if they beat Keshi's side.
GROUP D
In Group D Cameroon are expected to book their ticket with a win in Yaounde against second-placed Democratic Republic of Congo.
The four-time champions are on 10 points, four points clear of DRC who they beat 2:0 in the reverse fixture three months ago.
Both automatic qualifying sports in Group C will be sewn up if the top two teams Gabon and Burkina Faso both win.
Gabon face a trip to Angola and will go through with a win but their task has been made more difficult by the absence of star striker Pierre-Emerick Auabameyang, who was not released in time by his German club Borussia Dortmund.
Burkina Faso are away to Lesotho and need a victory and a win for Gabon to book their place.
GROUP E
A similar situation exists in group E, where Ghana and Togo will qualify if they both record victories.
Ghana will qualify if they record victory away to Uganda, and that result would allow Togo to also go through if they beat Guinea at home.
The Black Stars have included skipper Asamoah Gyan in their squad and the striker has travelled to Kampala even though he was ruled out of the match earlier in the week. because of a knee injury - as was Kwadwo Asamoah.
Regardless, Ghana caretaker coach Maxwell Konedu told BBC Sport: "We respect Uganda and predict a hard battle. But we would wish to complete the qualification task in Kampala."
GROUP G
With Cape Verde already qualified from Group G, the battle for the second ticket is between 2012 champions Zambia and Mozambique, who are both on five points.
They played out a goalless draw when they first clashed in Ndola and on Saturday the Chipolopolo are away in Maputo in a winner-takes-all encounter.
Senegal and Egypt are neck-and-neck on seven and six points respectively and the teams go head-to-head in Cairo after the Teranga Lions won 2:0 in Dakar.