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stallions afcon dark horse

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - 20 February 2008, Russell Mwafulirwa during the PSL match between Ajax Cape Town and Thanda Royal Zulu held at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa.\nPhoto by Tertius Pickard / Gallo Images\n\nSIDELINED: Former Ajax Cape Town striker Russel Mwafulirwa will miss Malawi's clash against Djibouti due to injury. page 40, sow
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - 20 February 2008, Russell Mwafulirwa during the PSL match between Ajax Cape Town and Thanda Royal Zulu held at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa.\nPhoto by Tertius Pickard / Gallo Images\n\nSIDELINED: Former Ajax Cape Town striker Russel Mwafulirwa will miss Malawi's clash against Djibouti due to injury. page 40, sow

Giant-killers Burkina Faso will clinch a place in the final round of the 2010 World Cup-Africa Cup of Nations qualifying competition if they defeat Tunisia in Ouagadougou tomorrow.

Giant-killers Burkina Faso will clinch a place in the final round of the 2010 World Cup-Africa Cup of Nations qualifying competition if they defeat Tunisia in Ouagadougou tomorrow.

The "Stallions" caused the biggest shock of the second round in May by winning 2-1 in Tunis, thanks to a couple of late goals from Issouf Kone of Romanian champions Cluj.

Another three points would lift Burkina Faso to 15 and give them an unassailable lead in Group 9 where Burundi and Seychelles are out of the running with two rounds left.

Kone and Qatar-based Moumouni Dagano, joint leading scorer in the qualifiers with five goals, are among six strikers named by Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte for the top of the table clash.

But compatriot Humberto Coelho, taking charge of Tunisia for the first time after Frenchman Roger Lemerre's contract was not renewed, is less lucky with his strike force.

Injury rules out veteran Francileudo dos Santos and rising star Amine Chermiti. Locally-based Mehdi Ben Dhifallah and Mohamed Selliti fill the gaps.

Cameroon, who top the Fifa Africa rankings, can also seal a place among the final 20 contenders for five slots at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa if they collect maximum points from Cape Verde Islands in Praia.

Ivory Coast head for Mozambique this weekend. A win for the Ivorian "Elephants" would assure them of top spot in Group 7 if second-placed Botswana do not win at bottom of the table Madagascar.

Egypt, African champions a record six times but World Cup qualifiers only once, face a difficult Group 12 assignment against the Democratic Republic of Congo in Kinshasa.

The countries share top place with nine points and Malawi will remain in contention provided they overcome the absence of injured strikers Esau Kanyenda and Russell Mwafulirwa and triumph away to whipping boys Djibouti.

New Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac welcomes back midfielder and captain Stephen Appiah, but must do without injured striker Asamoah Gyan for a Group 5 showdown with fellow leaders Libya in Tripoli. The 12 group winners and best eight runners-up qualify for the third round next year. - Sapa-AP

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