Nigeria seek World Cup redemption, Sudan eye history
Seeded to win Group C and automatically qualify, a Nigerian team boasting the past two African Footballers of the Year Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman lie fifth in a six-team section.
In a qualifying competition spanning three years, the Super Eagles drew with Lesotho, Zimbabwe and South Africa, then crashed to Benin in pursuit of a seventh World Cup appearance.
Since finishing 2024 Africa Cup of Nations runners-up to hosts Ivory Coast, Nigeria have had three coaches -- locals Finidi George and Augustine Eguavoen and now Eric Chelle.
Fired by Mali after a poor start to their World Cup campaign, Ivory Coast-born Chelle admits he faces a "huge challenge", starting with Rwanda away and Zimbabwe at home this month.
Blessed with outstanding forwards Osimhen and Lookman, the coach says "football is about scoring goals and I favour an attacking style".
Seeded fifth in Group B, Sudan occupy first place ahead of a top-of-table clash with three-time World Cup qualifiers Senegal in Benghazi as they try to reach the finals for the first time.
The match is in Libya because Sudan has been engulfed in a civil war since April 2023. The conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives and uprooted more than 12 million people.
AFP Sport highlights five matchday five clashes as the African qualifying schedule reaches the halfway mark:
Ethiopia v Egypt
As if trying to contain star Egypt forwards Mohamed Salah and Mahmoud Trezeguet is not sufficiently daunting, Ethiopia must also deal with recent Manchester City recruit Omar Marmoush.
Salah and Trezeguet are the leading scorers in African qualifying with five goals each -- between them netting all but one of the Pharaohs' 11 in Group A, which they lead by four points.
Although this is a home fixture for Ethiopia, ranked 113 places below Egypt, it will be staged in Morocco because the east African country lacks a FIFA-approved stadium.
Sudan v Senegal
Ghana-born Sudan coach Kwesi Appiah has told his squad to imagine they are world superstars as they seek to stretch a two-point Group B lead over Senegal.
"Look straight at the Senegalese stars and believe you are as good as they are. There is a war raging in your homeland and you are playing for your families and your country," he told them.
Senegal can call on 32-year-old two-time African Footballer of the Year Sadio Mane, but will miss another high-profile forward, Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea, due to a hamstring injury.
Rwanda v Nigeria
Nigeria may be ranked 80 places above Rwanda, but dare not underestimate the Wasps after what happened in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying last year.
Rwanda forced a 0-0 draw in Kigali, then stunned Nigeria 2-1 in Uyo with Innocent Nshuti and Jimmy Mutsinzi scoring within three minutes during the second half.
Chelle will not be the only new coach on view. Rwanda did not extend the one-year contract of German Torsten Spittler and hired Algerian Adel Amrouche.
Gambia v Kenya
Former South Africa star Benni McCarthy, part of the Manchester United backroom staff when Erik ten Hag was manager, debuts as Kenya coach, vowing to take the Harambee Stars to the World Cup.
"With the right mindset and dedication from the players, and a willingness to learn and give everything they have got, we can surprise a lot of people," says the 47-year-old.
African champions Ivory Coast are set to win Group F, so Kenya need wins away to Gambia and at home to second-placed Gabon to have a realistic chance of coming second and reaching play-offs.
Ghana v Chad
After failing to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and a World Cup loss away to shock Group I leaders Comoros, Ghana coach Otto Addo cannot afford any more setbacks.
Chad are pointless, have scored just once, some stars are boycotting this match due to "poor organisation" and coach Kevin Nicaise quit to be replaced by Qatari Tahir Zakaria Gardia.
So, it is hard to imagine Ghana, bolstered by Premier League trio Thomas Partey, Jordan Ayew and Antoine Semenyo, failing to secure three points before a tougher assignment against Madagascar.