The first leg matches of the final round of the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers are about to kick off with mouthwatering fixtures on the cards.
10 of Africa’s best teams return to action for the quest to book places at Qatar 2022.
It will be the first time for international football on the continent to take place since Senegal lifted the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations title in February after beating Egypt in the tournament held in Cameroon.
GOAL gives you all the information you need to know about the games which will put Africa on a standstill as they bid for the five remaining slots for Qatar.
Fixture | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
Egypt vs Senegal | March 25 | 21.30hrs (SAST) |
Ghana vs Nigeria | March 25 | 21.30hrs (SAST) |
Cameroon vs Algeria | March 25 | 19.00hrs (SAST) |
DR Congo vs Morocco | March 25 | 17.00hrs (SAST) |
Mali vs Tunisia | March 25 | 19.00hrs (SAST) |
Afcon final 'replay' in Cairo
gettyEgypt and Cameroon will clash in what would be a rematch of the 2021 Afcon final.
The first leg between the two sides will be played at Cairo International Stadium and comes almost two months after Senegal beat Egypt.
The Teranga Lions beat the Pharaohs 4-2 on penalties following a 0-0 draw after extra time.
Egypt would want to take a healthy first-leg league as they seek to deny Senegal a spot in Qatar.
West African old foes renew rivalry
BackpagePix.Ghana will be the first team to be at home at Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi in this battle of traditional rivals.
The Black Stars were in the same group as Bafana Bafana from where they secured a play-off spot.
They now have Nigeria to deal with in this potentially stormy affair and they will be tested to the fullest.
Nigeria were at the last World Cup edition in Russia while Ghana missed that tournament and would be seeking a healthy lead ahead of visiting the Super Eagles in Abuja.
Indomitable Lions out to atone for Afcon disappointment
Getty ImagesCameroon legend Rigobert Song begins his tenure as Cameroon coach and what a stage to kick off his reign - against Algeria.
It will be a monumental test of Song facing Algeria as he seeks to soothe the spirits of Cameroonians who endured the agony of watching their team failing to win Afcon on home soil.
The burden to tone for the disappointment lies on Song and his men who start at home at Japoma Stadium before travelling to Algeria.
They face the Desert Foxes looking for redemption after finishing bottom of Group E at Afcon.
Leopards out to end 38-year wait
TFFDR Congo have not been at the World Cup since 1974 which was their only participation at the quadrennial global football competition.
They now face Morocco in their bid to break that long wait and they start at home at Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecote.
They come up against a Morocco side that was in Russia the last time out and reached the 2021 Afcon quarter-finals where they were knocked out by Egypt.
Confrontation of the Eagles
GettyThis will be the battle between the Malian Eagles and the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia.
They begin their confrontation at Venue Stade 26 Mars in Bamako, before switching battleground to Rades.
To reach this play-off stage, Mali emerged from a group that had Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda, while Tunisia saw off the challenge of Equatorial-Guinea, Zambia and Mauritania in their pool.
The West Africans have never been at the World Cup before and Tunisia have been there five times.
All information is accurate at the time of publication.