Egypt, Senegal, Mali all close to Afcon

Argentine coach Hector Cuper is on the verge of leading seven-time African champions Egypt to the Nations Cup finals

Three more nations can qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Gabon on Saturday as the penultimate round of fixtures continues.

Group winners will all grace the finals along with the two best runners up.

If Senegal’s Teranga Lions can pull off a draw in Burundi on Saturday, they will win Group K.

Meanwhile Egypt’s Pharaohs need to avoid a loss in Tanzania to qualify as Group G winners.

In Group C, group leaders Mali play away in South Sudan, however a current Fifa ban on 2nd placed Benin leaves their game against Equatorial Guinea in some doubt.

Benin are currently the best second-placed side in the competition with eight points.

If the sanction is not lifted before Sunday’s game in Cotonou the Squirrels will be eliminated from the qualifiers.

A Benin squad is in Cotonou training for the match while the already eliminated Equatorial Guinea cancelled a friendly against Uzbekistan in Tashkent on Thursday, because of the qualifier.

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has told BBC Sport that no decision has yet been made.

Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers:Grp G – Tanzania v Egypt (1300)Grp E – Guinea-Bissau v Zambia (1600) Grp K – Burundi v Senegal (1300)Grp C – South Sudan v Mali (1630)Grp H – Rwanda v Mozambique (1330)Grp I – Sierra Leone v Sudan (1630)Grp D – Botswana v Uganda (1400)Grp M – Gambia v South Africa (1700)Grp K – Namibia v Niger (1500)Grp I – Ivory Coast v Gabon (Friendly 1730)Grp F – Sao Tome v Cape Verde (1530)(Kick-off times GMT via Caf website)

The Fifa Congress in Mexico last month gave the power to its Council to readmit Benin once the conditions are fulfilled.

“If by the date of their game they are still banned they will be logically eliminated,” Caf explained.

If that happens and Benin crash out of the competition, Mali only have to avoid a defeat this weekend.

They remain unbeaten in 2017 and lead the group with 10 points.

Meanwhile 3rd placed South Sudan have three points having won their first ever competitive game last year with a lone-goal win over visiting Equatorial Guinea.

The South Sudanese have appointed Ugandan coach Leo Adraa for their final two Nations Cup qualifiers.

In Group K runaway leaders Senegal have been preparing to face Burundi in Rwanda.

Stoke City striker Mame Biram Diouf and France-based Sankhare Younnouse scored for Senegal as they beat Rwanda 2-0 in a friendly last Saturday.

The Teranga …

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